Kuki Armed Movement Nearing Settlement

Nearly eight years after officially singing the suspension of operation (SoO) with the Government of India and Manipur, the decades old Kuki armed movement apparently is nearing settlement.

- Leivon Jimmy

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh recently informed the Manipur Legislative Assembly that both the Centre and State governments will start dialogue with Kuki militants under SoO agreement and find a solution to the armed movement within a time frame.

The CM asserted that the government will make sure that the dialogue is not prolonged for a long time and try its best to find a solution within a year or two.

“The people of Manipur, particularly in hill districts, have had enough of the militant activities due to the prolonged extension of SoO or cease fire. So, we will make sure that a solution to the problem is brought at the earliest,” Singh said.

To expedite the settlement, Government of India has also finally appointed an interlocutor, former Director of IB, retired Dineshwar Sharma, to initiate political dialogue with the United People’s Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO).

The UPF and KNO the two umbrella groups of over 22 odd Kuki militant groups that signed the SoO on August 9, 2008. However, prior to that the militants under the constituent groups entered into a cease fire with the Indian Army in 2005.

Since the tripartite agreement was signed, militant cadres have been staying at designated camps built by the government in different part of the state. As per reports there are 9 designated camps and around 2000 armed cadres approved by Government under the KNO and around over 1000 cadres under the UPF and around five designated camps. For years, without any significant breakthrough to the demands (statehood) UPF and KNO, the government has been extending the SoO agreement annually until today.