Guwahati, June 27 -- Reported by Bit Irom

Imphal: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has strongly criticised the government's handling of the prolonged ethnic conflict in Manipur, questioning whether youths who took up arms to defend their communities during the outbreak of violence in May 2023 are now being treated as criminals.

In a statement issued by Phijam Shyamchand, Convenor of COCOMI's IPR Sub-Committee, the organisation said the government had failed to protect lives and property when large-scale violence erupted, forcing local youths to rely on available weapons to safeguard their villages and families.

COCOMI said that as the security situation gradually improved, many of these youths voluntarily return...