The BJP-led Manipur government has decided to urge the Centre to carry out operations against all Kuki-Zo militant groups instead of only those involved in the
November 11 abduction and murder of six Meitei relief camp inmates in Jiribam, a decision aimed at dousing the widespread anger sweeping the Imphal valley since
Saturday.

The decision prompted the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi), a conglomerate of leading Meitei-based organisations, to suspend its
indefinite sit-in.

Cocomi has been heading the protest with members of the Khwairamband Ema Keithels, the iconic woman-only market in Imphal, since November 16 against the “inability” of the state and central governments to handle the ongoing ethnic conflict that has claimed at least 256 lives.

Cocomi spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba told The Telegraph that they suspended their indefinite sit-in after chief minister N. Biren Singh conveyed to them that he had reviewed a key resolution on a proposed crackdown on the Kuki “militants” responsible for the death of the camp inmates in Jiribam. The resolution was adopted at the November 18 meeting of ruling NDA MLAs.

Cocomi had first given a 24-hour deadline to the MLAs of the ruling parties on November 16 to take steps to check the violence, and on November 18 to review the resolutions adopted by them as they failed to “satisfy” the suffering public.

The MLAs have also endorsed the cabinet decision to recommend the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (Afspa) from six police station areas, declare the militant outfits involved in the killings as unlawful within seven days and hand over the probe into the three recent killings to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Athouba said: “We will wait for seven days to see what action is taken on the ground and launch an intense agitation, including locking down both central and state government offices. We will also demand the resignation of the MLAs. Since the government has acceded to most of our demands, we saw no point in carrying out the protest as it would economically hurt our women vendors.”

The women vendors of Ema market had, however, opposed Cocomi’s move to suspend the protest and said they would soon meet to chalk out their future strategy.

“We told them that we want to continue till there are no concrete actions against those involved in the killings. We are ready to sacrifice for a cause,” a woman vendor told The Telegraph.

Protest continues

Cocomi’s decision has not put an end to the protests in the Imphal valley against the killings of the relief camp inmates and the reimposition of Afspa in six police station areas.

The government had relaxed the curfew in the Imphal valley for five hours (from 5am to 10am) on Wednesday and seven hours (from 5am to noon) on Thursday. However, it has extended the suspension of Internet services for another three days in five Meitei-majority valley districts and two Kuki-Zo-majority districts.

At least 20 persons have been killed from both sides since November 7 in which a Hmar teacher was shot, tortured and burnt.

The Centre has deployed 70 companies of additional forces in the state.

On Tuesday night, the chief minister released a video on X assuring the protesters that “the hunt” for the “Kuki terrorists” involved in the Jiribam killings “is currently under way and they will be brought to justice soon” and that “we will not rest until they are held accountable for their inhuman action”.

Naga appeal

The Senapati-based Naga Women’s Union (NWU) has appealed to “men, young men of armed groups, both Meitei and Kuki communities, to refrain from killing, rape, assault and crime of violence against women”.