The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) alleged the existence of a "deep nexus" between Kuki groups, army and the Editors Guild of India
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei civil society organisation, alleged that the Indian Army influenced the Editors Guild of India (EGI) to publish the "most biased and baseless fact finding report on Manipur violence." The organisation further alleged the existence of a "deep nexus" between Kuki groups, army and the EGI. Four members of the EGI currently face FIRs against them on the basis of a report of the fact-finding committee.
In a press release, the COCOMI said, "The recent revelation on the matter of the Editor’s Guild of India (EGI) in relation to their controversial Fact Finding Report is now revealing even more serious conspiracies that have driven the Manipur Conflict for so long." The organisation further alleged that the EGI had earlier issued a statement appealing for crowdfunding to meet their expenses to travel to Manipur from Delhi and also thanked ITLF for their donations, a post which they later deleted.
COCOMI's statements come days after the EGI told the Supreme Court that they visited Manipur on the request of the Indian Army. The court, while granting the press body members protection from coercive action, also observed orally whether the publication of a subjective analysis by a group of journalists could be a ground for the registration of an FIR.
In its report published on September 2, the fact-finding team had flagged that "the media in Manipur was playing a partisan role in the ongoing ethnic conflict between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Chin minority" and said that Manipur media became "Meitei media" -- which drew criticism from Chief Minister N Biren Singh and police complaints as well.
The organisation alleged that EGI's fact-finding report "clearly indicates that there is a deep nexus between the Indian Army influencing the press media’s cheapest editor’s body in the world to work beyond their ethical practices." The civil society group urged the Centre to take immediate action against all the agencies and responsible persons "involved in the crime".
The Indian Army's response to these allegations is awaited.
The Assam Rifles had earlier registered a sedition and defamation case against COCOMI on July 10, after the outfit gave a call to people “not to surrender weapons.” COCOMI had alleged that a large number of women protestors were assaulted by the Indian Army in the Moirang area of Bishnupur on June 30. The army has denied the allegation.
The key allegations made in the FIR against COCOMI include exciting people against a government agency, promoting enmity between different social groups, defaming Assam Rifles and causing hindrance to its personnel in discharging their duties.