Centre, Manipur ink fresh SoO pact with Kuki-Zo groups; territorial integrity secured

New Delhi, Sep 4: The Centre and Manipur governments have signed a fresh agreement with Kuki-Zo groups on Thursday in which all sides agreed to maintain the territorial integrity of Manipur, open National Highway-2 for free movement, and relocation of militants’ camps.

The tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement has re-negotiated ground rules.

The three sides also agreed on the need for a negotiated solution to bring lasting peace and stability to Manipur, reduce the number of designated camps, relocate the weapons with nearest CRPF/BSF camps and stringent physical verification of militant cadres by security forces to de-list foreign nationals, if any.

A Joint Monitoring Group will closely monitor enforcement of ground rules and violations will be dealt with firmly in future, including review of the SoO agreement, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Under the revised framework, Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) have pledged to completely renounce violence, respect the Constitution, and uphold Manipur’s territorial integrity. The groups are barred from associating with other armed outfits and prohibited from offensive activities such as ambushes, kidnappings, extortion, or intimidation.

In return, security forces—including the Army, Assam Rifles, central paramilitary units, and state police—will refrain from launching operations against the groups as long as they honour the agreement.

Officials said the extension of SoO would be followed by structured tripartite talks aimed at a “negotiated political settlement within the framework of the Constitution of India in a time-bound manner.”

The renewal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement is being seen as a key move to restore peace in Manipur, a state still reeling from ethnic tensions.

The SoO agreement, which must be renewed annually, had lapsed in February 2024 following violent clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki groups, leaving the state without the framework intended to maintain ceasefire.

The tripartite agreement, first inked on 22 August 2008, brought together the Centre, the Manipur government, and representatives of insurgent groups, including the KNO and the UPF.

Collectively, these groups represented 25 armed factions, including the Kuki-Zo, Zomi, and Hmar communities. The agreement was designed to halt hostilities and open channels for political dialogue, addressing the groups’ longstanding demands for a separate homeland.

In recent months, the Home Ministry held multiple meetings with SoO stakeholders to resolve disagreements over the ground rules of the pact, which will be renewed alongside the extension of the agreement.

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Manipur, which will be his first trip since clashes broke out in May 2023, the extension of the SoO pact is likely to be interpreted as a significant gesture of outreach by the Centre toward the tribal Kuki-Zo community.

With inputs from PTI