On the second 3/5 Remembrance Day, the Meitei Alliance has urged the central government to take immediate action to restore peace and harmony by abrogating the Suspension of Operations (SoO) with Kuki militant groups and taking firm steps to neutralize terrorism.
The Meitei Alliance, which is an association of the Meitei diaspora abroad, also called for the intensification of the War on Drugs, including the complete eradication of poppy plantations in the hill areas and the NRC update exercise to differentiate citizens and illegal immigrants. They also demanded the identification and deportation of illegal migrants from neighbouring countries.
Other points urged include the dismantling of artificial buffer zones and ensuring unrestricted movement of all citizens across the state; facilitating the safe return of IDPs to their homes with adequate security and rehabilitation support; and the removal of AKT (Any Kuki Tribes) from the Scheduled Tribes list.
In its press statement, the Meitei Alliance said May 3, 2025, commemorates two years since the violent disturbances that began in 2023, instigated by armed aggression from Kuki militant groups allegedly funded by drug money. The attacks were strategically orchestrated to disrupt communal harmony and coerce the Government of Manipur into halting its actions against illicit cross-border drug trafficking, illegal poppy cultivation, illegal encroachments on protected forest lands, and illegal immigration from Myanmar. Since then, Manipur has endured sustained unrest, severely affecting peace, security, and normal life across the state.
In the immediate aftermath of the eruption of violence, despite assuming control over the state’s law and order situation, the Central Government’s delayed and inadequate response allowed Kuki militants operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement to carry out coordinated attacks against Meitei civilians. The subsequent establishment of buffer zones by central forces, ostensibly to prevent further violence, inadvertently facilitated the creation of de facto enclaves that have since served as launchpads for continued terrorist operations targeting civilians.
Due to the security lapses of the Central Government, hundreds have lost their lives, thousands have been injured, and nearly one lakh people have been displaced. The widespread violence has severely restricted the free movement of citizens across the state. Terrorist activities have obstructed economic development, disrupted livelihoods, and led to a surge in crime and instability, resulting in immense human suffering. Furthermore, the Centre’s continued leniency toward Kuki militant groups has emboldened their ambitions to carve out an exclusive territory, with the intention of integrating it into a proposed new nation.
On February 13, 2025, the Centre formally imposed President’s Rule, taking full administrative control of Manipur. However, between May 4, 2023, and May 2, 2025, the Central Government has not taken substantial measures to bring normalcy. It has yet to fulfill the expectations of the people in ensuring security and peace, restoring political stability and communal harmony, enabling free movement, controlling prices, and fostering economic recovery and growth.
