UKHRUL: The United Naga Council (UNC) has endorsed the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’s proposed rally on October 31.
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In an endorsement and public appeal issued today, the UNC appeals to the general public to support the rally, which demands abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) with Kuki militants, end of proxy war in Manipur, and removal of the Assam Rifles from the state, replacing them with other ‘neutral central forces’.
The UNC stated they have been witnessing a deteriorating security situation, continuous reign of terror unleashed by Kuki militants under SoO, and the grave existential threat looming over the indigenous communities of the state and the public.
The apex Naga body in Manipur also stated that the role of Assam Rifles has become questionable, and instead of securing the Indo-Myanmar border and protecting indigenous villages, it has been perceived as partisan and as mute spectators.
The council, therefore endorsing the rally, urges Naga People’s Union Imphal and other Naga frontal organisations to mobilize and ensure maximum participation. At the same time, it entrusts district apex bodies and tribe Hohos with full responsibility for effectively and successfully executing the rally in district headquarters. The committee calls for massive participation in the rally to show collective resolve against terror and to protect ancestral land and identity.
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COCOMI had on October 22 announced a joint rally of Meitei and indigenous communities on October 31 in Imphal, demanding the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups. The announcement followed a protest at Lamphelpat, where COCOMI convenor YK Dhiren called for accountability from the state and central governments over the killing of three civilians near Khongbal and urged concrete measures to restore security in Manipur.
