Manipur assembly adopts resolution to abrogate SoO deal with Kuki outfits

Manipur chief minster N Biren Singh

Guwahati: The Manipur assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the central government to abrogate the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with 25 Kuki militant outfits on the grounds of violation of rules, people familiar with the matter said.

The move comes as the deadline for the agreement signed expired Thursday.

“This House unanimously resolves to urge the government of India to abrogate the suspension of operations pact with all the Kuki-Zo underground groups/militants,” stated Speaker T Satyabrata Singh in the assembly following a discussion on the topic.

The Centre and the Manipur government in August 2008 signed the SoO with the 25 Kuki militant groups, which included 17 from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), and eight belonged to the United Peoples Front (UPF).

Though the Centre has been extending it annually since 2008, it is not clear if it will be extended this time.

As per the agreement, the cadres of these groups were to be confined to designated camps and their arms were kept locked in safe rooms under a double-locking system.

In March last year, the Manipur cabinet decided to withdraw the agreement following a review of the law-and-order situation leading to a clash in Kangpokpi district over a government eviction drive. However, the Union home ministry dismissed the Manipur government’s decision.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes between the Meitei community, which is in majority in Imphal Valley, and tribal Kuki-Zo communities, who are dominant in some hill districts, since May last year. The violence has so far claimed 219 lives and displaced over 50,000 people.

Several Meitei organisations have been protesting in Imphal, urging the Centre not to extend the SoO agreement beyond the present deadline, alleging that members of Kuki groups under the agreement have been indulging in the ongoing violence.

On Wednesday, thousands of women demonstrated in different parts of Imphal Valley, demanding the scrapping of the suspension of operations agreement.

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