Manipur: COCOMI slams Centre for inaction on cross-border militant activities

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has criticized the Central government for its alleged inaction, poor management of the India-Myanmar border, and perceived complicity in cross-border militant activities.  

COCOMI expressed frustration over the government’s dismissal of the crisis as merely an “ethnic conflict” or “communal tension.” The group argues that this narrative undermines the severity of the issue, absolving authorities of their responsibility to address the root causes. It further claimed that the government’s failure to uphold national territorial sovereignty, curb illegal immigration, and dismantle militant operations has directly prolonged violence and instability in the region, deepening the plight of Manipur’s indigenous people.  

Key demands by COCOMI:

- Immediate recognition of the situation as a “proxy war” influenced by external factors and state negligence.  
- Strengthened measures to secure the India-Myanmar border and dismantle militant networks within a fixed timeframe.  
- A probe into alleged collusion between security forces and Kuki armed groups.  
- Strategies to tackle illegal immigration, poppy cultivation, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking while restoring demographic balance in Manipur.  

COCOMI has called on the people of Manipur and citizens across India to reject misleading narratives and hold the government accountable for what it describes as a “deliberate compromise” of the state’s territorial and demographic security.  

The organization emphasizes that viewing the crisis through the lens of a proxy war, rather than reducing it to ethnic or communal strife, is essential for ensuring Manipur’s survival and sovereignty. COCOMI appeals for collective action to demand accountability, justice, and decisive measures to restore stability in the region.