COCOMI’s protest cum alert meetings on 'Framework Agreement' begins

A group of protestors against 'Framework Agreement' in Imphal on October 23. (NNN Photo)

Newmai News Network

Imphal | October 23 

Protest cum "alert meetings" were organised widely in Imphal on Wednesday responding to a call given by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI).

Even though police foiled some of the protests while the "alert meetings" were in progress, others carried out their programmes without any disturbance.

COCOMI, a newly formed conglomeration of AMUCO, CCSK, HERICOUN, LIPUL and UCM, called for the protest cum public "alert meetings" while demanding that no point that infringes the interest of Manipur in the event of signing an agreement to the Naga political issue be included.

Placards like “Bring solution no problem”, “No divisive policy in Manipur”, “Give peace but not piece, “Don’t break Manipur,” etc. were displayed during the protest cum "alert meetings".

In one of the protests staged by the members of the Poirei Lamarol Meira Paibi Lup in Imphal’s Khoyathong, its president M Memchoubi warned that the people of the state are always ready to fight any challenge in protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur. She cautioned the Centre that an uprising of people more disastrous than the infamous "June 18 uprising 2001" can be occurred in Manipur. She added that the MLAs must go to Delhi before October 31 and relay the firm stand of the people of the state in case any kind of solution that would infringe the interest of Manipur is included while signing an agreement to end the Naga political issue. M Memchoubi further demanded the state government to press the Centre not to take any decision related with Manipur without prior consultation with all the "stakeholders".

The protest cum public "alert meeting" was later dispersed by the police, around 1 pm, after a brief scuffle with the womenfolk taking part in it.

Students of some schools in Imphal also staged demonstration outside their respective school premises.

In one of the demonstrations staged in front of Johnston Higher Secondary School, located in the heart of the state capital, the students shouted various slogans opposing any kind of solution that would divide the people of the state on ethnic lines.