Thokchom Somorendro, coordinator of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), has voiced grave concerns about the prevailing situation in Manipur. “There is no unity, only shortsightedness. There is no understanding of what is really going on. We need a diverse strategy to address the issues,” he stated.
Somorendro criticized the lack of cohesion among the Meitei community, contrasting it with the apparent unity among the Kuki community. “For the Kukis, both their MLAs and organizations work together. We are not doing the same,” he observed. Highlighting the internal divisions, he said, “In every constituency, people are split into two camps—pro-MLA and anti-MLA. There is no sense of patriotism for Manipur anymore; everyone is focused on their personal gains.”
He also spotlighted the disappearance of Laishram Kamalbabu, a Meitei worker from Assam, who went missing from the Leimakhong Army camp. Somorendro accused the Assam Rifles of inaction, alleging, “They do nothing when Kuki militants fire from their territory.”
Addressing the controversy surrounding the suspension of a recent sit-in protest at Ima Market, Somorendro clarified his actions after a viral video showed him shouting at women objecting to the strike’s suspension. “Some people pressured the strike to end so as to reopen the market for business. When we reached an agreement with the state government, some women objected, so I shouted. But why make this go viral? Why focus on my behavior instead of the larger issue?” he said.
The strike was called off after the state government promised action against the perpetrators of the Jiribam killings, but the central government has yet to fulfill these demands. Women at the market argued the strike should not have been suspended without visible action, further fueling discontent.
Leirikleima, COCOMI’s women’s wing coordinator, issued a strong warning regarding Kamalbabu’s disappearance. “We used to trust the army, but that trust has now eroded. If he is not returned alive, we will launch a massive women’s movement,” she said.
