Manipur: COCOMI launches indefinite sit-in protest over Jiriban killings, blames government for inaction

The Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has launched an indefinite sit-in protest in the heart of Ima Keithel, Imphal, following the discovery of several bodies, including children, minors, and women, found dead in the Jiri River. 

The move comes after reports of these missing individuals, believed to have been victims of violence, stirred widespread outrage across the state.

In a statement, COCOMI accused the Government of India (GOI) of failing to protect innocent lives and abandoning the people of Manipur amidst ongoing conflict. 

The protest, which began immediately, also includes a call to shut down all Central government offices in the state, with exceptions for academic and health-related sectors, which will continue to function.

COCOMI’s leadership expressed strong disappointment over the inability of both the central and state governments to act effectively in the rescue operations following the tragic deaths. COCOMI has set a 24-hour ultimatum for both the GOI and the Government of Manipur to take immediate action. 

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They are demanding the initiation of a military crackdown against the Kuki-Narco militants, allegedly operating in collusion with the GOI under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.

The group has declared that failure to launch this action within the given timeframe would result in the people of Manipur abandoning any remaining support for the central government’s establishment in the region.

COCOMI also criticized the government for its apparent failure to locate the missing children and the 8-month-old infant, whose disappearance during a violent period in the region sparked public outrage. 
Despite the deployment of over 60,000 central forces and 35,000 state police personnel, the search operations have been unsuccessful, leading COCOMI to question the effectiveness of the security forces' efforts.

"If 60,000 central forces and 35,000 state police personnel failed to rescue an 8-month-old infant, then what are they going to do for the people of Manipur?" said the COCOMI chief, highlighting the growing sense of helplessness among the locals.

The sit-in protest, planned to take place indefinitely, is a direct response to the failure of the government to ensure the safety and security of Manipur’s people.

As the protest continues, COCOMI has vowed to escalate its actions unless the government takes immediate steps to address the situation. 

The protestors are determined to send a message to the government that the people of Manipur will not tolerate further neglect or inaction in the face of violence and loss of innocent lives.