Youths unwilling to surrender arms as militants intensify attacks: Manipur organisation

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of valley-based civil society organisation, said that local youths were not willing to surrender arms as attacks by militants are intensifying.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Committee also alleged that a section of para-military troops remained inactive against the terrorists.

Demanding the replacement of the inactive para-military troopers, the organisation said that deployment of "more sincere security organisations like BSF (Border Security Force) and similar such forces at this juncture is immediately necessary to establish a sense of confidence among the masses".

"We have witnessed the Meetei (Meitei) volunteers complying with the Home Minister's appeal with a sense of confidence and respect to the statement of the Union Home Minister. However, it is very unfortunate that the attacks and aggression from the Kuki militants/terrorist have been intensified again and there is no sign of any retreat from their side," the letter said.

"Concerning the gravity of the anger and losses of faith towards the words and wisdom of the Union Home Minister due to the inaction of a section of para-military and security personnel, COCOMI on behalf of the People of Manipur appeal you for one last time to take up befitting action against the defiant Kuki terrorists on emergency basis, failing which the people of Manipur specially the Meitei community is likely to reorganise a new wave of protest and action against those who are targeting the innocent villagers and also to those security personnel who are indirectly and openly supporting the terrorist groups."

Criticising the Central and state governments for not being able to clear a blockade of the highways, COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba on Wednesday said that it is a fundamental duty of the government to operate the highways.

He said that the highways, especially the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway, has been blockaded by the militants and their supporters for over 30 days.

"The concerned authority should take up all necessary safety measures to lift the blockade of National Highway and ensure smooth transportations of all essentials including the transport fuel, cooking gas, life saving drugs besides food grains permanently," he said.

Meanwhile, thousands of women under the banner of Meitei Meira Paibi, a civil society organisation, on Tuesday night formed a human chain as they marched in Imphal with torches in their hands and chanted in unison, "Long Live Manipur".