The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) is a joint body of Meitei civil society organisations in the Indian state of Manipur. It came into being in 2019 in the wake of the peace talks between the Indian government and Naga rebel groups, as the latter sought autonomy and integration of the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur into a Greater Nagaland. COCOMI campaigns for maintaining the "territorial integrity" of Manipur, which was a princely state under the British Raj and became part of the Indian Union upon India's independence.[1][2][3]
| Founded | 21 October 2019 |
|---|---|
| Type | Meitei activist organisation |
| Focus | Preserving integrity of Manipur |
| Headquarters | Lamphel, Imphal |
Area served | Imphal Valley, Manipur, India |
Coordinator | Somorendro Thokchom |
Spokesperson | Khuraijam Athouba |
During the 2023–2024 Manipur violence, COCOMI acted as the main representative body of the Meitei community.[4]
Organisation
editCOCOMI is an activist body in Manipur that strives for preserving the "integrity" of Manipur, which essentially means preserving the territory of Manipur as it existed as a princely state at the end of British Raj in 1947. Any form of division or cession of this territory is sternly opposed. The organisation is described as an "umbrella body" of several civil society organisations of Meitei ethnicity. It was described in October 2019 as having been "recently formed". Its convener at that time was mentioned as Sunil Karam.[3]
In 2023, COCOMI was headed by Jeetendra Ningomba as its coordinator. Upon the end of his term in January 2024, he passed on the office of coordinator to Somorendro Thokchom.[5][a]
History
editCOCOMI was formed on 21 October 2019 as an umbrella organisation of several Meitei civil society organisations. These were:[1]
- United Committee Manipur (UCM), headed by Sunil Karam
- Committee of Civil Societies of Kangleipak (CCSK), headed by Jeetendra Ningomba
- League of Indigenous People's Upliftment (LIPUL), headed by Somorendro Thokchom
- Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN), headed by Longjam Ratankumar
- All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), headed by Ph. Nando Luwang
Sunil Karam and Somorendro Thokchom were elected as the coordinators of the new organisation and the other leaders were named as assistant coordiantors.[1]
United Committee Manipur, the best known of these constituents, was founded in July 2001 as an umbrella body in itself. It was formed in response to the extension of the Naga ceasefire agreement to the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.[6] In 2024, COCOMI was reported to be operating from the offices of UCM.[7]
Indo-Naga peace talks
editIn October 2019, COCOMI launched a mass protest to oppose any deal that could affect the territorial integrity of Manipur during the Indo-Naga peace talks. The then president, Sunil Karam, said that the central government's move to settle the Naga issue without Maniput state's involvement was an "insult" to Manipur.[3]
2023–2024 Manipur violence
editEthnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo community broke out on 3 May 2023, causing virtually all of the Meitei people living in Kuki-dominated hills to get displaced to the Valley, and all the Kuki-Zo people living in the Valley to get displaced to the hills. COCOMI was reported to have supported the "age-old tradition of coexistence".[8] But in early June, it organised a People's Convention in Imphal East, and declared a "national war against Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists", which was supposed to be fought unitedly by all the "indigenous people of Manipur". It also claimed that, with the declaration of war, a "public emergency" came into force.[9][10][11] The Convention also rejected the Union home minister Amit Shah's appeal to surrender weapons looted from the police armouries and refused combing operations by security forces, though it backtracked on this resolution the following day.[12][13]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c CSOs form united front to fight for integrity, The Sangai Express, 22 October 2019.
- ^ Ahead of Naga peace deal, Manipuri women demand protection of state's territorial integrity, The Hindustan Times, 24 October 2019. ProQuest 2308267133
- ^ a b c Jimmy Leivon, Indo-Naga talks: Manipur groups to launch mass protest on Oct 31, Indian Express, 28 October 2019. ProQuest 2309556791
- ^ Manipur: Mass Burial of Kuki Victims Postponed After MHA Request, Zoramthanga's Intervention, The Wire, 3 August 2023. 'Urging the state government to prohibit such “illegal moves on time”, the organisation, seen as close to chief minister N. Biren Singh, said it would block such a move if the Kukis go ahead with it. COCOMI is vehemently opposed to a division of the state.'
- ^ a b Myanmarese Kukis fuelling crisis in state: COCOMI, Chronicle News Service, via e-pao.net, 21 January 2024.
- ^ About UCM, United Committee Manipur, retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ Sit in protest held; new office bearer of UCM appointed, Imphal Times, 30 August 2024.
- ^ COCOMI reaffirms stand to maintain age-old tradition of coexistence in Manipur, Imphal Free Press, 10 May 2023. ProQuest 2811665894
- ^ Convention Declares ‘War Against Narco Terrorists’, The Frontier Manipur, 8 June 2023.
- ^ COCOMI organizes People’s Convention, Declares war against Kuki-Chin Narco-terrorists, The Hills Journal, 7 June 2023.
- ^ Newsmaker | COCOMI: The Meitei group at the fore of Manipur conflict, row with Assam Rifles, The Indian Express, 18 September 2023.
- ^ Prabin Kalita, Manipur violence: Won't surrender arms, allow combing operations, say Imphal groups, The Times of India, 8 June 2023.
- ^ Manipur group backtracks a day after passing resolution to not give up arms looted during violence, Scroll.in, 8 June 2023.
External links
edit- Karan Thapar Watch | 'Will Never Accept Separate Kuki Administration,' Says Manipuri Body, The Wire, 2 August 2023.