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The Hindu
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kuki-Zo groups and MHA reach an understanding on closure of 7 camps close to Meitei areas, says govt. official
Kuki-Zo insurgent groups and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials, in a meeting on Monday (June 16, 2025), reached an understanding on the relocation and closure of certain camps run by the groups in Manipur, a senior government official said. The MHA stressed on recovery of looted weapons and the opening of the national highways, the official added. Security agencies have proposed the closure of seven out of 14 existing camps, which are located close to Meitei-populated areas in the foothills. The insurgent groups in the Suspensions of Operations (SoO) pact with the government resumed talks with the MHA on June 9, after a gap of two years. The official said that no deadline was fixed for the extension of the SoO pact with the Kuki-Zo groups as it depended on adherence to ground rules and other conditions. The pact became ineffective on February 29, 2024, when the Manipur government pulled out from the tripartite agreement, MHA and SoO groups being the other two signatories. After ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people erupted in the State on May 3, 2023, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and several Meitei groups accused the armed insurgent groups of instigating the violence. 'Discussions on ground rules were held on Monday, and an agreement has been reached on certain key changes, which include closure of camps. Making highways fully operational was also stressed upon,' said the government official. National Highways 2 and 37, which connect the land-locked Meitei-dominated Imphal valley to Nagaland and Assam, respectively, are critical for the supply of essentials and other commodities, pass through Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. The official said that the next round of talks would be held after 15 days. Changing terms An SoO representative said that since the demands from pre-May 3, 2023, had changed, there was a need to revisit the ground rules of the SoO pact. 'We have also proposed certain plans to the MHA, which involve the security forces. The closure of camps is under discussion. When we signed the pact in 2008, a drill was followed to finalise the ground rules; the same process is being followed now,' the representative said. Around 2,200 cadres of the SoO groups comprising United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO)— umbrella organisations of 25 insurgent groups, live in 14 designated camps in the hill districts of Manipur. The cadres are entitled to a stipend of ₹6,000 per month, which has not been paid since the violence erupted. The SoO agreement was signed in the wake of the Kuki-Naga clashes in the 1990s, when hundreds were killed. The insurgent groups demanded an independent land for the Kuki-Zo people. Earlier, the groups had demanded autonomy for Kuki-Zo councils in Manipur. Post-May 2023, they have been demanding a Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly for the Kuki-Zo areas.
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Lawful measures: On Manipur and law and order
Ethnic conflicts, unlike other variants of strife, are more difficult to end because of the nature and the level of grievances of the communities hostile to each other. This persecution complex is fed by those who drive passions to such an extent that taking a position on reconciliation through mutual compromises and peace-building becomes difficult even if a silent majority are in favour of it. Using threats by brandishing arms, chauvinist sections try to drown out voices of reason by drilling in fear and ideas of further vengeance. That seems to be the case with Manipur too, where, after months of dilly-dallying over taking on the patrons of violence, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government has finally decided to isolate such elements and subject them to the long arm of the law. That the Imphal valley has again erupted in protest over the arrest of leaders of the extremist identitarian outfit, Arambai Tenggol, highlights the necessity and the difficulty of implementing law enforcement measures in an ethnic conflict. This group had engaged in acts of wanton lawlessness with impunity, targeting those who did not agree with its militant agenda with violence and threats. It had also coerced MLAs into signing pledges for its chauvinist cause. Shockingly, the then BJP-led State government looked the other way – a consequence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's inability to rise above his partisanship. The security forces were also unable to act because of public protection for the violent offenders. Soon, such groups went to become a major threat to peace and it was only after implementing President's Rule that the government managed to get the group, among others, to return most of the weapons looted from police constabularies The arrests have coincided with similar actions against other militant volunteers in the hills who were allegedly involved in violence against law enforcement officers. The government of Manipur, which is currently under President's Rule, must make a clear case of the involvement of those arrested in crimes and bring them to justice. It should not give in to the threats made by those stoking communal passions, and must convince the people – across ethnic lines – that these are lawful actions against malefactors. It must simultaneously engage in talks with other stakeholders, also asserting that such steps will coincide with peace-building and rehabilitation measures. It must use devices such as convening all-party meetings and involving civil society representatives from across all ethnic lines to reinforce this message, and must not give in to pressure to reverse the legal steps taken against the offenders.
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
MHA to resume talks with Kuki-Zo insurgents, says camps near Meitei areas must be closed before renegotiating SoO pact
The Union Home Ministry (MHA) is all set to resume talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in Manipur after a gap of two years. A senior government official told The Hindu that the suspension of operations pact (SoO) with the insurgent groups in Manipur will be 'renegotiated with stringent ground rules'. The SoO framework has to be in existence before any 'political solution' can be reached. The Kuki-Zo SoO groups will hold the talks with the MHA's Northeast adviser A.K. Mishra and Intelligence Bureau officials, on June 9. Changing demands Before May 2023, when ethnic violence erupted in the State, the primary demand of the SoO groups was to have autonomous territorial councils within Manipur. After the conflict began, however, they changed the stance to demand a separate administration for Kuki-Zo areas, defining it as a Union Territory with a legislature. The agreement, in place since 2008, has been periodically extended each year, except on February 29, 2024 when the Manipur government pulled out from the tripartite pact. The other two signatories are the MHA and the SoO groups. One of the conditions that has been set forth to hold further talks is the removal of SoO camps from locations close to the valley districts which are dominated by the Meitei people. Security forces have suggested that the number of camps be reduced from the existing 14 to seven camps. Timeline of the ongoing Suspension of Operations pact 2008: 25 Kuki-Zo insurgent groups sign a Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with MHA, Manipur government which is extended every year; 14 SoO camps set up in the hill districts of Manipur with around 2200 identified cadres. May 3, 2023: SoO groups almost sign an agreement with MHA agreeing on autonomous councils for Kuki-Zo people in Manipur. After violence erupts, talks are derailed. February 29, 2024: Manipur government pulls out of the tripartite SoO agreement when it comes up for an annual extension. MHA and Kuki-Zo groups are present, but Manipur does not send any representative to extend the agreement on its behalf. February 29, 2024: Manipur Assembly, sans Kuki-Zo MLAs, passes a resolution to abrogate SoO. August 19-22, 2024: Informal meetings held between three members of the SoO groups, MHA's Northeast adviser A.K. Mishra, and Intelligence Bureau officials Exchanging accusations Meitei groups have accused the SoO groups of carrying out armed attacks during and after the ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people which erupted in the State on May 3, 2023 and claimed the lives of 250 people, displacing more than 60,000 people from their homes. Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh claimed that the SoO groups had violated ground rules and instigated the ethnic violence. The SoO groups have accused the Manipur government of using the State machinery against them. 'No immediate extension of SoO' The official quoted above said that there will be no immediate extension of the SoO pact, which protects the identified cadres from arrest and criminal cases if they follow ground rules. It will be extended only after the negotiation is complete, he said. 'Some camps will have to be shut down, few have to be relocated. Separate set of ground rules are being formulated. Without its implementation, the SoO pact cannot be extended,' the official said. After a peace pact is signed with an insurgent group, the cadres are expected to stay in earmarked camps. Weapons and ammunitions are accounted for and regular checks are conducted by a monitoring agency decided by the State government. 'Preliminary meeting' An SoO representative said: 'The talks are being held in Delhi after a hiatus. It will be a preliminary meeting with the Centre.' Around 2,200 cadres of the SoO groups — comprising the United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), umbrella organisations of 25 insurgent groups — live in 14 designated camps in the hill districts of Manipur. The cadres are entitled to a stipend of ₹6,000 per month, which has not been paid since the violence erupted. The SoO agreement was signed in the aftermath of the Kuki-Naga clashes in the 1990s when hundreds were killed. The insurgent groups demanded an independent land for the Kuki-Zo people.
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Three militants arrested in Manipur
Security forces have arrested three militants, belonging to two proscribed outfits in Manipur, police said on Saturday. (June 7, 2025). All the arrests were made on Friday (June 6) in Bishnupur, Kakching and Imphal West districts, a senior officer said. One active cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Peoples' War Group) was apprehended from Wangoo Samushang area in Bishnupur for allegedly being involved in extortion activities, he said. The militant demanded money from schools, colleges, shopkeepers and elected members in Kumbi area, the officer said. Another member of the outfit was also arrested from Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area in Kakching district, the police said. A cadre of the proscribed UPPK was apprehended from Khumbong Bazar in Imphal West district. Security forces continued search operations and area domination exercises in the fringe and vulnerable areas in the hill and valley districts. Arms recovered During a search operation in Kotzim village in Kangpokpi district, three firearms, eight mortars and other articles were recovered, the police said. Four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were also recovered from Yangoubung village in Tengnoupal district on Thursday (June 5). Security forces have been conducting search operations in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out two years ago. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The Centre had on February 13 imposed the President's rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
The paradox of Manipur's political crisis
On May 28, 10 NDA MLAs walked into the Raj Bhavan in Imphal, claiming the support of 44 legislators, and sought to form a 'popular government' in Manipur. In another time, such a move would have been unremarkable — an expected feature of parliamentary life. However, in today's Manipur, it looks less like a step toward democratic normalcy and more like a performance as the foundations of the political community are still fractured, and far from 'normal'. In Manipur, President's rule has been in place since February, when Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned after months of escalating violence. The Centre's stance has been cautious: No rush to restore a government, no appetite for political experiments. Expectedly, the BJP leadership dismissed the MLAs' visit as a mere 'courtesy call.' What lies beneath, nevertheless, is a messier reality. The 44 MLAs' claim, on the surface, suggests a consensus. But consensus in Manipur is a fragile word. Their claimed support excludes the 10 Kuki-Zomi MLAs (seven of whom won on BJP tickets) and the five from the Congress. Such arithmetic proposes a government that represents only one section of the society The protests that erupted over the past week expose the fault lines. A state-run bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival was stopped at a checkpoint. Security forces reportedly asked the staff to cover the word 'Manipur' on its windshield to allow safe passage through Kuki areas. The decision, in context, was pragmatic. The response in Imphal, however, was fury. To cover the state's name was to erase its identity. COCOMI, the Meitei civil society group, mobilised swiftly, demanding the Governor's apology, the removal of top officials, and an end to what they see as a systematic undermining of Manipur's sovereignty. While they have signalled a willingness to engage with MLAs, COCOMI's stand is clear: Three months of President's rule have failed to restore peace or hold anyone accountable, deepening mistrust in Manipur's divided polity. The protests also spilt over onto the streets. Human chains lined the roads; mothers and students carried placards demanding the Governor's apology. In no uncertain terms, they made it clear that Manipur's identity is non-negotiable. The Governor had to be airlifted to Raj Bhavan from the Airport — the leader is shielded from the very people he is meant to represent. The Centre's reluctance to end President's rule is less a bureaucratic delay than a recognition of enduring instability. The looted weapons — estimated at 3,000 — remain largely unrecovered. The displaced remain in camps. The roadblocks, both literal and metaphorical, persist. The lines of control are found in the everyday geography of fear and formal orders. Without reckoning with these realities, a government formed now would not have the required legitimacy. The MLAs' push for a government is, at one level, a procedural demand. But it is also an admission of exhaustion. It reflects a desire to move on, to restore the machinery of governance, and to claim that the worst is over. The Centre's hesitation, in contrast, suggests that the crisis is far from contained. A political arrangement that ignores the exclusions at its core will not heal — it will harden divisions. What is missing from the debate is a reckoning with the nature of the political community in Manipur today. Can a state where the Valley sees the Hills as hostile territory, where the Hills view the Valley as a threat, and where the Naga districts increasingly assert their distinct identity, be governed as a single polity? A popular government requires a shared sense of belonging, a basic agreement on political rules, and a willingness to coexist despite profound differences. Manipur, a year after its collapse into violence, lacks these foundations. The demand for a government, however procedurally correct, needs to take into account the challenges of rebuilding trust, recognising mutual legitimacy, and confronting the structural inequalities that fuelled the conflict in the first place. A popular government without a people is a contradiction in terms. Manipur's crisis is not about the absence of a government, but of a shared political imagination — one that sees governance as more than majoritarian arithmetic. Until that imagination is rebuilt around a lasting peace, any government will remain fragile, provisional, and unmoored from the realities on the ground. The writer is a researcher and writer based in Manipur
