
Amid tense situations in ethnic-strife-hit Manipur, the Meitei group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Sunday raised the demand to implement NRC in the state to identify illegal immigrants from Myanmar. The COCOMI urged the Centre to complete fencing along the India-Myanmar border at the earliest to stop illegal immigration and trafficking of arms and drugs.
Somendro Thokchom, the Coordinator of the organisation said, "The Centre has not taken any action despite fresh bombings at Kadangband earlier this month. This indicates the people of the state are not being considered as citizens of the country." He was indicating towards January 14 attack when suspected militants had launched a bomb attack in the Kadangband area of Manipur’s Imphal West district.
'OCOMI urges action against Kuki Zo militants
Urging definite action, Thokchom added, “This conflict will end only when the Centre takes definite action and initiates a military crackdown against Kuki militants."
The conglomerate of several Imphal valley-based civil society organisations also demanded the government to take action against Kuki Zo militants to end the ongoing conflict in the state that left over 250 people dead and thousands homeless.
Thokchom said, "NRC needs to be implanted (in Manipur) to identify illegal immigrants. Refugee detention camps for Myanmarese people must not be confined to Manipur only. The state has limited land resources. The camps should also be set up in other states."
'Smuggling, illegal migration core issue of conflict': COCOMI
Highlighting grave concerns about illegal immigration and smuggling, he said, Thokchom said, "Illegal immigration, arms and drugs smuggling from Myanmar into Manipur remains core issues of the conflict in the state."
"The situation has hardly improved in the state. There are no signs of any action being taken. Among the various cases, the killing of three women and three children by Kuki and Hmar militants in Jiribam district in November last year and the disappearance of a man from an army camp at Leimakhong in Kangpokpi district remains unaddressed," he added.