COCOMI supports Sangai Festival boycott, calls it ‘insensitive amid suffering’

Imphal, Oct 31: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on Friday announced its support for the boycott of the upcoming Sangai Festival, calling the celebration “insensitive and disconnected” from the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the state.

Addressing a press conference at COCOMI’s office in Lamphel, convenor Yumkhaibam Surjit Singh said the present situation in Manipur, marked by prolonged displacement, highway blockades, and continued unrest makes it inappropriate to hold a state-sponsored festival.

“This is not an opportune time to celebrate the Sangai Festival when thousands of our people are suffering in relief camps,” Surjit said. “The situation in many camps has become unbearable. Cases of suicide are increasing as people lose faith in the system and struggle to survive in inhuman conditions.”

COCOMI reaffirmed its full support for the boycott called by displaced families and several civil society bodies, urging the state government to redirect funds and efforts toward relief, rehabilitation, and restoring peace.

“When highways remain blocked, when displaced families face food shortages and children are deprived of education, it is meaningless to hold a festival of tourism and celebration,” Surjit added. “The government should focus on rebuilding lives, not hosting festivities.”

The Sangai Festival, organised annually by the Department of Tourism, is scheduled to take place later this month across multiple venues in Imphal and other districts. Traditionally regarded as Manipur’s premier tourism event, the festival showcases the state’s culture, art, and heritage, attracting visitors from across India and abroad.

However, this year’s edition has drawn widespread criticism amid continuing displacement and insecurity, with thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) still living in relief camps since violence erupted in May 2023.