The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has announced that a Leadership Consultative Meeting will be convened on Sunday, November 15, following the conclusion of its 48-hour total shutdown across Kangpokpi district at midnight on Saturday, November 14, to deliberate on its future course of action amid growing outrage over the killings of two youths and a woman farmer and the critical injuries sustained by two other civilians at Taphou Kuki village.
Ng. Lun Kipgen, spokesperson for CoTU, said the committee's subsequent course of action would be determined by the outcome of the crucial leadership meeting, while firmly reiterating that its charter of demands to the incumbent Manipur government remained "sacrosanct" and non-negotiable.
He maintained that the charter of demands was not merely a list of grievances or an instrument of protest but a comprehensive roadmap for the reinstallation of peace, restoration of civilian security and establishment of a semblance of civility in the hill regions of Manipur.
The committee's charter of demands includes the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, rectification of police jurisdiction, stringent action against NSCN-IM and ZUF-K over alleged acts of aggression and threats to civilian security, and removal of the alleged illegal NSCN-IM camp at Huthrong Brigade, Oklong, in Senapati district.
The committee has also demanded the withdrawal of Central and State security forces operating under the command of the SP, Senapati, from Kangpokpi district, holding the existing security arrangement responsible for failing to ensure civilian safety and prevent repeated attacks on innocent people.
Kipgen maintained that unless the government takes concrete and time-bound measures to address these fundamental security and governance concerns, restoring public confidence and normalcy in the hill regions would remain an elusive proposition.
In a message apparently aimed at clearing misconceptions among certain civil society organisations (CSOs) regarding the committee's nomenclature, composition and broader objectives, Kipgen underscored that the CoTU platform was not exclusive to any particular tribal community.
He categorically stated that all tribal communities were welcome to join the committee's platform, stressing that its shared vision transcended individual tribal identities and was rooted in the collective quest for freedom, dignity and the protection of tribal rights within the hill regions.
However, he drew a clear ideological line, asserting that anyone or any organisation working against this collective vision could not be considered part of its platform.
"Anyone espousing against such a vision cannot be part of us," he asserted, making it clear that its inclusive approach did not imply any compromise on its fundamental principles and objectives.
Reaffirming CoTU's position, Kipgen maintained that the committee's struggle was anchored in the collective aspirations of the tribals for security, justice, freedom and dignity, and that its demands were directed towards addressing the prevailing structural and security concerns in the hill regions.
With the 48-hour shutdown set to conclude at midnight on Saturday, all eyes are now on Sunday's leadership consultative meeting, which is expected to chart the organisation's next course of action.
The government, meanwhile, faces mounting pressure to respond to CoTU's demands with tangible measures, as the committee has made it unequivocally clear that the suspension or conclusion of a shutdown should not be misconstrued as a retreat from its stated position.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
