The Kuki Students’ Organization (KSO) General Headquarters has strongly rejected the recent claims made by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) calling for the withdrawal of the Assam Rifles from the state of Manipur. The KSO has described the memorandum submitted by COCOMI as “fundamentally flawed” and “lacking in substantive evidence.”

COCOMI’s memorandum, which cites former Border Security Force (BSF) Additional Director General (ADG) PK Mishra’s allegations of a “close link” between the Assam Rifles and Kuki militants, has been labeled as speculative by the KSO. They argue that the Assam Rifles, alongside other Central security forces, have maintained a neutral stance in their role of crisis management and security.

The KSO refuted accusations that the Assam Rifles has neglected its duty to address militant activity. They highlighted the active involvement of Assam Rifles in recent operations aimed at curbing violence and restoring order in Manipur. The organization praised the Assam Rifles’ efforts during the recent floods in Imphal city and surrounding areas, asserting that their intervention was critical in rescuing flood victims and providing essential support, thus potentially saving numerous lives.

Furthermore, the KSO has challenged the credibility of social media content and videos referenced by COCOMI. They argue that these materials are unfounded and not relevant to the current situation in Manipur. For instance, they assert that some of the videos cited were from Myanmar prior to the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, and are unrelated to the ongoing issues in the state.

The KSO also referred to incidents involving Valley Based Insurgency Groups (VBIGs) attacking Kuki villages in Dolaithabi, which were incorrectly attributed to the Kuki community by COCOMI. They highlighted that there was an instance where Meitei militants allegedly utilized the cover of Assam Rifles to attack and burn Kuki villages, directly contradicting the claims made by COCOMI.

In light of these allegations, the KSO has called upon the Central government to take action against COCOMI for disseminating what they consider to be false information and unjustly accusing the Assam Rifles. They assert that such claims are not only unsubstantiated but also detrimental to the peace and security efforts in the region.