In a joint appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, four indigenous organisations from Manipur—Indigenous Peoples’ Forum Manipur (IPFM), Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), Meitei Alliance, and Foothills Naga Coordination Committee—have submitted a detailed memorandum urging the Government of India not to renew the existing Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreements with Kuki militant groups.
Citing repeated violations of ground rules by armed groups under SoO protection, the signatories allege that these outfits are directly responsible for the violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, in Churachandpur, including arson in Torbung and Kanvai.
Addressed to Amit Shah, the memorandum expresses grave concern over the flawed structure of the tripartite SoO framework, which includes the very groups accused of breaching the agreement as members of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG). The stakeholders argue that this has rendered the Manipur State Government powerless to hold these groups accountable, thereby undermining law and order in the state.
The memorandum further recalls that the State Government of Manipur, before the current state of constitutional breakdown, had officially abrogated the SoO Agreements with KNA and ZRA in March 2023 and subsequently recommended against their renewal in January 2024. Therefore, the signatories contend that the SoO Agreements cannot be legitimately extended without the recommendation of an elected State Government.
The four organisations put forward two key recommendations to restore peace in Manipur. First, they call for the complete abrogation of the SoO Agreements, in line with the previous Manipur State Government’s stand. Alternatively, they propose the immediate re-establishment of a popular government through fresh elections, which could then independently review and recommend the future of the SoO framework.
They stress that if the SoO were to be renewed, its structure must be holistically reviewed and amended to include independent arbitration and robust accountability mechanisms. They further demand that all individuals involved in acts of violence be prosecuted, and that no member of KNO or UPF found guilty should be shielded by the provisions of the SoO.
PHOTO : TELEGRAPH INDIA
