COCOMI demands farmer safety zone with shoot-at-sight order

In the backdrop of series of attacks on farmers, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has called for the immediate declaration of a “farmer safety zone with shoot-at-sight orders” in vulnerable agrarian areas.
In the latest attack, a farmer – Ningthoujam Biren Singh – sustained bullet injuries on his left arm when suspected Kuki miscreants fired toward a group of farmers at their paddy fields near a security line in Phubala under Moirang police station of Bishnupur district adjoining Churachandpur district.
The attack reportedly took place after an alleged breach through three layers of security, including BSF, JKLI, and SSB personnel.
While condemning the latest gun attack targeting the farmers, the COCOMI alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to terrorize farmers, disrupt agricultural activities, and destabilize peace in the valley region.
The victim, who is now incapacitated for the current season, faces serious consequences in terms of livelihood, posing a severe threat to his family’s food and economic security, the apex body of various CSOs alleged, in a statement.
It alleged that the farmer was shot from point blank range barely 30 meters away from the SSB security line.
“This act of terror occurred after an outrageous breach through three tiers of security, BSF, JKLI, and SSB, raising serious concerns about the intent, efficiency, and reliability of the current security deployment in the valley,” it asserted.
“COCOMI team held a meeting with the superintendent of police, Bishnupur, followed by a strategic security dialogue at police headquarters with senior officers including ADGP L Kailun, IGP K Kabib” it added.
During the dialogues, the COCOMI expressed its solidarity with local farmer groups and the victim’s family and drew the attention of the state authorities to take up adequate measures to protect the farmers in the fringe areas of the valley district, it said.
“The entire agrarian belt along the foothills and canal zones must be officially designated as a farmer safety zone and must be declared a no arms zone, and any unauthorized armed intruder, especially those carrying assault rifles or deadly weapons, must face immediate shoot-at-sight orders” the COCOMI demanded.
The apex body also called to fix accountability on security lapses and for an immediate and transparent investigation to determine responsibility for the failure to protect civilians.
The COCOMI also called for guarantee to “uninterrupted cultivation access” and to allow farmers to cultivate Meitei paddy fields up to the foothill areas without fear or obstruction.
It also demanded deployment of two/three additional companies for regular mobile patrolling while maintaining all existing static posts to ensure round-the-clock surveillance of sensitive farming zones.
The committee further demanded the government bear the expenditure incurred in treating the farmer injured in the recent attack while seeking financial compensation for him and his family.
Stating that slogans like “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” must be reflected in actual protection on the ground, the COCOMI reaffirmed its solidarity with the farming community of Manipur and urged both the state and the Central governments to act swiftly and decisively.