Imphal: Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) has rejected the recently released Independent People’s Tribunal (IPT) report of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) on Manipur crisis.
The people’s committee said, “On behalf of the people of Manipur, unequivocally rejects the recently released IPT report of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties. This so-called tribunal report is nothing but a biased, misleading, and politically engineered narrative that seeks to vilify the Meitei community while legitimizing the separatist aspirations of Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist groups.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Cocomi said the 694-paged report prepared under the chairmanship of former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph was “deliberately structured to appease separatist aspirations” with “selective omissions and fabrications.”
The organisation alleged that the Tribunal misrepresented the Meitei Scheduled Tribe (ST) demand, spread false narratives on the outbreak of violence, and presented a one-sided portrayal of victims. It also accused the report of ignoring the role of Kuki-Chin armed groups despite public admissions by their leaders, while repeatedly naming Meitei groups like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun.
The coordinating committee criticised the report for omitting incidents such as the May 3 Torbung-Kangvai attack, the Jakuradhop massacre in Jiribam, and enforced disappearances, while endorsing “separatist narratives,” justifying poppy cultivation, and making “false historical claims.”
It announced that it will hold a Public Review of the report and pursue legal action against PUCL and tribunal members for “defamatory and unfounded statements.” It vowed to mobilise civil society, intellectuals and legal experts to safeguard Manipur’s unity and integrity.
“The report has no legitimacy and no credibility. It does not serve the cause of peace, justice or reconciliation. Instead, it emboldens narco-terrorist groups and weakens national security,” Cocomi said.
In contrast, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a Kuki-Zo apex body, welcomed the report, calling it the most detailed study of the violence since May 3, 2023. Its secretary of Information and Publicity Ginza Vualzong said the Tribunal gave importance to the voices of victims, survivors and others affected by the unrest. He said the findings as a fair and clear account of the conflict.
“If both communities are forced to stay together, hostility will only grow and suffering will continue,” the council said, urging the Government of India to recognise the Kuki-Zo demand for separate administration.
