Meitei groups in Manipur announce indefinite social boycott of state government

Imphal: Amid ongoing ethnic violence that has persisted for over three months in Manipur, a significant civil society group, the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), has called for an indefinite social boycott of the state government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

COCOMI, which represents an umbrella body of Meitei groups, accused the government of disregarding its resolutions made during a July rally, reported NDTV.

According to Jeetendra Ningomba, the coordinator of COCOMI, the government has failed to fulfil or initiate any actions related to the five resolutions passed during the rally. As a result, COCOMI has initiated an indefinite social boycott in response to what it perceives as the state government's utter disregard for the people's demands.

During the social boycott, COCOMI is urging people not to cooperate with any measures implemented by the state authorities and to refrain from attending any government events. The group has also demanded a special assembly session by August 5, but the state government has not taken any action on this request yet.

Manipur Minister Sapam Ranjan Singh previously stated that a session would be convened in early August; however, no official date or business for the proposed session has been finalised yet.

The ethnic clashes in Manipur began on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Since then, the violence has resulted in the death of at least 170 people.

The situation remains tense, and COCOMI's call for an indefinite social boycott reflects the growing frustration and discontent among Meitei groups towards the state government's handling of the issues related to the ongoing ethnic violence. The boycott could potentially have significant implications on the functioning of the government and its ability to address the pressing concerns of the affected communities.