A snapshot of life at a camp for former militants

Inside the KNA camp, self-styled corporals Chungkholen (left) and Bosco singing a hymn.

On top of a hill in the remote Monbung village in Manipur’s Churachandpur distric are 21 members of the so-called Kuki National Army(KNA), an insurgent group in the northeast, standing guard to protect the camp and also their leader , self-styled Colonel Saipu Tauthang. Tautang(68) is among the 190 cadres of different Kuki militant groups in this camp who signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and state governments in 2008. Monitored by security forces, the cadres must remain confined in the camp; their weapons are kept in a double-locking system in a room within the camp, but they can keep around two dozen for their protection.

For the last one-and-half months, the surrendered militants have been waiting to hear the Centre’s decision on the renewal of the SoO agreement. Last year, the agreement with 25 armed Kuki armed groups in Manipur was extended for another year until February 29, 2024. The Centre has renewed the extension every year since 2008. But not this year.

Even as there is status quo on the ground in camps such as this, the Centre is yet to renew or abrogate the SoO. Officials aware of the matter said the central agencies are checking if some of the militant groups violated the agreement and picked up arms during the ethnic clashes.

The camp where these 190 cadres are lodged is Camp Salem of the second battalion KNA.

Camp leader Tauthang, who is guarded by his armed bodyguards round-the-clock, is hopeful of a renewal. “Maybe the government will take a decision after the elections. They could not announce their decision because of the violence in Manipur. We are tracking the updates,” he said.

With just four days left before Manipur goes to polls in the first phase on April 19 (parts of outer Manipur will go to polls on April 25), Tauthang says the former militants are troubled by choices they have. “The SoO agreement and our future thereafter is decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. We have no problems with the BJP government in the Centre. We support the BJP. But then voting for BJP this time means supporting Manipur chief minister Biren Singh, who is responsible for the loss of Kuki lives in the ethnic clashes.”

For the surrendered militants, the state government holds a poll within the camp because the cadres of the SoO groups are not allowed to step out and visit polling booths.

“There are around 2000 of us. We have yet to take a call and will take advice from our community’s civil society groups,” Tauthang added.

The Suspension of Operation was first signed between the Government of India, the Manipur government and the Kuki National Organisation(KNO) on August 22, 2008 to cease hostilities. The militant groups agreed to completely stop any form of violence. The Centre and the state too signed that no force will launch operations against the signatories if they abide by the terms of the agreement.

Accusing SoO groups of being involved in violence, in February, Meitei MLAs submitted a memorandum to the Centre to abrogate the SoO. A day later, tribal MLAs wrote to the Centre to renew the agreement.

The surrendered militants say though they are confined to the camp, they are directly affected by the ethnic clashes across the state.

“In recent months, we have been caught between the agreement and our Kuki brothers. The Kuki civilians know that we have arms in the camp. Many times, the villagers send stern messages that we are not fighting for Kukis. The day we leave the compound and use the weapons in our possession , this will be a violation of the agreement. And at the same time, the status of our agreement is unclear,” Tauthang said.

With almost no cell network because only BSNL works atop the hill in this remote village, the surrendered militants keep themselves updated from the happenings outside through the local television news channel on the only television set in the camp.

“I was a part of the KNA when the Naga-Kuki clash happened in the early 90s. I will not detail what I actually did but will confirm that I was part of the violence against Nagas in Ukhrul district that time. That clash lasted for almost five years,” Tauthang added.

Khaiminlal(28) works as a private secretary for the self-styled Colonel. In 2007, when he had joined the armed Kuki group, he was only 14. Kahiminlal said he was given arms training in the hills for almost two months. But within a year of his joining, KNA signed the SoO. In the last 14 years, he has lived in different camps across Manipur – there are 14 camps, of which 7 are in Churachandpur district.

“More than half my life has been spent confined to the camps. I do not remember life on the outside,” he said.

A regular day in the lives of these surrendered militants begins at 5 in the morning. There is a physical education session for almost an hour, after which a roll call of all cadres is done every morning at around 9. They then break for their respective duties. Some have jobs in the kitchen, others have laundry duty in the small pond that the cadres have built with water supply from outside the village. Over two dozen continue to stand guard at different corners of the camp.

“This is my life now. I cannot go back to the jungle and pick up arms there. This is why youngsters like me are closely tracking the news and the election this time. In all these years we believed SoO renewal was a routine affair every year. Suddenly the ethnic clashes coinciding with the general elections this time is impacting our future,” Khaiminlal said.

For the past one year, the state government has also not paid ₹6000 that the surrendered cadres were receiving every month since 2008. In February last year, chief minister Biren Singh withdrew the state from the SoO.

The cadres have started growing vegetables and depend on aid from local villagers and aid from senior leaders of the KNO.

Chungkholen(38), who says he is a Corporal in the KNA camp, says he hopes the government will take a decision once the results of the elections are announced. The self styled corporal said the groups are being politicised in the ethnic clashes.

“We are not getting the stipend. We are now living lives of penury. Our families outside are sending us money. My wife works as a tailor. We are just waiting for the elections t be over. But one thing is for sure. Even if the government does not renew the SoO, we will not pick up arms and go to the jungles. We would rather die inside our camp. This is home,” he said.

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