In view of the serious situation prevailing in Manipur and the growing challenges confronting the people, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) said it and the United Naga Council (UNC) had jointly submitted a memorandum to the Union Government several years ago, demanding the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
COCOMI said several Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) representing different sections of the people in the hills and valley are currently continuing the “No NRC, No Census” movement. It described the agitation as an important struggle aimed at protecting the future of the state and urged the government not to suppress or ignore the demands being raised by the people.
Instead, the government should carefully consider the demands and provide sufficient time for dialogue and discussion before taking any decision, COCOMI said.
The COCOMI pointed to previous movements and agitations in the state, saying many of them emerged because successive governments failed to adequately address the problems and concerns of the people. It said the present situation was also a result of the failure of successive governments to respond effectively to those concerns.
Referring to the violence and unrest that began on May 3, 2023, COCOMI said the situation remains unresolved, with different communities still unable to move freely and live together as they did before.
Against this backdrop, the government’s decision to conduct a Census is “highly questionable” and could further deepen existing divisions, COCOMI said. It described the exercise as potentially ill-considered and insensitive if it does not take into account the ground realities faced by the people.
COCOMI further stated that the government should first address the issues that have contributed to the ongoing crisis before proceeding with the Census. It said the return and rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their respective original places should be ensured, while conditions should be created for affected communities to once again move freely and interact with one another. Only after such conditions have been restored should a Census be conducted, the organisation said, describing the demand as legitimate and reasonable.
COCOMI also urged the government not to treat the ongoing movement merely as a law-and-order issue. It said the authorities should identify and address the underlying causes of the agitation rather than attempting to suppress it through the use of various laws and legal provisions.
Such measures, the organisation warned, could further alienate the people instead of resolving their grievances and could ultimately lead to a more serious crisis in the state.
COCOMI said the government’s efforts to suppress the movement rather than listen to the concerns of the people were inappropriate. It urged the authorities to engage with the public and take meaningful steps to address their grievances, warning that continued failure to do so could further erode public confidence in the government.
The organisation also appealed to government employees and officials to understand the gravity of the situation. It urged them to consider whether actions carried out in the course of their official duties could contribute to the further deterioration of the state and whether such actions serve the larger interests of the people.
COCOMI further maintained that whenever people launch a movement or agitation, the government’s responsibility is to engage with them and seek a solution rather than suppressing the movement.
It also criticised the suspension or dismissal of government employees allegedly involved in supporting the people’s movement, saying such action was inappropriate when the underlying grievances remained unaddressed.
COCOMI, meanwhile, appealed to the people of the state to continue participating peacefully and collectively in the ongoing “No NRC, No Census” movement until their concerns are properly addressed and a satisfactory resolution is reached.
