COCOMI, Naga CSOs gear up for Oct 31 rally

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 27: As announced earlier, COCOMI, in association with several other CSOs, has completed all preparations for a peaceful mass rally of all indigenous people on October 31 at Imphal.
The rally will be held under the banners “End Government of India’s proxy war in Manipur”, “Abrogate SoO agreement with Kuki militants’, “Withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur” and “Resettle all IDPs”.
The rally is being jointly organised by COCOMI, Joint Tribes Council Manipur (JTCM), Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC), Naga People’s Union, Imphal (NPUI) and Naga Humanitarian Aid Committee Manipur (NHACM).
Speaking to media persons at COCOMI office, Lamphelpat today, its convenor YK Dhiren said it is becoming clearer by the day that Kuki militants under SoO agreement who are being allegedly used by the Government of India as their proxy forces are instrumental for the war of aggression raging in Manipur till today since May 3, 2023.
The Sunurok massacre of October 19, 2026 was an undeniable proof of how Kuki militants under the SoO agreement have been waging a war of aggression against the indigenous people of Manipur, Dhiren said.
Blatant violation of SoO ground rules were seen during the security operation carried out by the Government at Sinai camp.
To exert pressure on the Government of India to bring its proxy war to an end, a joint mass rally of all the indigenous people will be held on October 31, the COCOMI convenor said.
The rally would also amplify the collective voice of the indigenous people, and the five organisations have completed all preparations for the rally, he said.  
Dhiren said that the rally will start from Tiddim Ground, Kwakeithel and terminate at THAU Ground, Thangmeiband where a public convention will be held.
Resolutions adopted at the public convention will be sent to the Government of India for necessary and prompt action, he added.
Naga CSO leaders who took part in the press meet said that armed Kukis have been committing rampant human rights violations by targeting innocent Nagas and Meiteis.
In order to protect innocent people, the SoO agreement must be abrogated, Kuki refugees must be deported and the proxy war must be brought to an end, they said.
Altogether 149 SoO cadres who were supposed to be inside Sinai camp were found absent. They were moving around and killing indigenous people, the Naga CSO leaders said.
The armed Kukis are given a free hand and it is nothing short of granting them the licence to kill indigenous people, they said.
Kuki militants came out of their designated camps and attacked indigenous, and they are being supported by the Government of India.
Security forces have been waging a proxy war and they can no longer be trusted, they said.
Asking whether the indigenous communities should go on counting the number of casualties, they appealed to all sections of people to join the mass rally on October 31.
It’s time for all the indigenous communities to adopt a collective decision, the Naga CSO leaders said.
They also appealed to the Government not to obstruct or derail the scheduled peaceful and democratic rally.