DAYS ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to Manipur, the Centre on Thursday claimed that Kuki civil society groups had agreed to allow free movement in Manipur.
The Centre also announced the signing of a new Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, under which they would relocate their camps from near Meitei areas and agree to “the territorial integrity of Manipur”.
The start of free movement between the Kuki and Meitei areas would be the most significant step towards normalcy in the state that has been in the grip of ethnic violence since May 2023. It would be perfectly timed too for the PM’s visit, likely on September 13 – his first to the state since the violence began.
If the Kuki side agrees to free movement, Delhi could then push the Meiteis to replicate the gesture. Currently, the communities are unable to pass through each other’s areas.
However, within hours of the MHA’s announcement that the Kuki Zo Council (KZC) “has decided today to open the National Highway-02 for free movement of commuters and essential goods”, the civil society issued a “clarification” saying that its understanding with the Central government and its appeal to people for cooperation in this regard should not “be misinterpreted as an endorsement of unrestricted or free movement across the buffer zones”.
“Buffer zones” refer to the areas between Meitei-inhabited and Kuki-Zo-dominant parts, which are heavily manned by security forces to keep the peace.
The KZC statement said: “We categorically reiterate that the Imphal–Dimapur NH-02 has never been closed or blocked. The NH-02 has consistently remained open for commuters and for the transportation of essential goods. Therefore, the question of ‘reopening’ does not arise… Our appeal (to the public) was specifically confined to the stretch of NH-02 passing through the Kangpokpi district. It must not be misinterpreted as an endorsement of unrestricted or free movement across the buffer zones.”
The Council added that “the sanctity of the buffer zones between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas will continue to be strictly respected and maintained”. “The essence of the KZC’s appeal was simply to urge the people of Kangpokpi to extend cooperation to the Central security forces deployed to ensure safety along the highway.”
The KZC also made it clear that it was the Centre’s responsibility to ensure safe passage. “It is neither the duty of the local public in Kangpokpi nor of the KZC to guarantee foolproof security for National Highway users.”
The KZC “clarification” followed murmurs of discontent from the Zomi Council, another prominent civil society organisation based in Churachandpur that has questioned the KZC’s authority in acting as a representative of the community in with the Centre. The Zomi Council rejects the umbrella term ‘Kuki’, and there has been tension in Churachandpur over the question of representation of the Zo community in talks with the Centre.
On signing of a new Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki militant groups, new terms have been reached, including relocation of camps from near Meitei areas and honouring “the territorial integrity of Manipur”.
“They (the KZC) are not the legitimate stakeholders. The KZC started only last November. The Zomi Council has been around for decades. We are unhappy that the main stakeholders have not been invited for these discussions. The (Union Home) Ministry is playing divide and rule,” said Zomi Council leader Mary Jones Vung.
In its statement Thursday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said: “In a significant decision, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has decided today to open the National Highway-02 for free movement of commuters and essential goods. The decision came after a series of meetings between officials of the MHA and a delegation of KZC in the last few days at New Delhi. The KZC has given commitment to cooperate with the security forces deployed… to maintain peace along NH-02.”
On the SoO agreement, the statement said, “Side by side, a tripartite meeting among representatives of the MHA, government of Manipur, and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) was also held at New Delhi today. The meeting concluded with the signing of a tripartite Suspension of Operations Agreement on re-negotiated terms and conditions (ground rules), to be effective from the day of signing of the agreement, for a period of one year.”
According to the MHA, the revised ground rules in the agreement include respecting the territorial integrity of Manipur (some sections of the Kukis have been seeking a separate administrative zone) and working for a negotiated solution towards peace in Manipur.
The MHA said the KNO and UPF had agreed to relocate seven designated camps away from areas vulnerable to conflict, to reduce the number of designated camps, to deposit their weapons at the nearest CRPF/BSF camps, and to submit their cadres to stringent physical verification to de-list foreign nationals, if any.
“A Joint Monitoring Group will henceforth closely monitor enforcement of the ground rules, and violations will be dealt with firmly… including review of the SoO Agreement,” the MHA statement said.
Following the MHA’s statement, the KZC issued an appeal to the people in Kangpokpi, through which the NH-02 runs and which is one of the key routes to enter or exit the state, to cooperate with security forces deployed by the Centre.
Noting that the MHA had expressed “serious concern” about the safety of commuters travelling on the highway through Kangpokpi district, the KZC said: “The Kuki-Zo Council would like to request MHA to deploy Central security forces to ensure safety of commuters and transportation of essential commodities along NH-02… The Kuki-Zo Council appeals to the public in Kangpokpi district to cooperate with the security forces.”
The KSZ “clarification” covered both the statement by the MHA and its own appeal to the public.
The stretch of NH-02 passing through Kangpokpi is particularly sensitive, and had witnessed violence on March 8 when the Central government first tried to enforce free movement through the state’s highways following the imposition of President’s rule in February. One person had died and many others were injured when protesters clashed with the security forces escorting a Manipur State Transport bus travelling from the state to Naga-majority Senapati.
If the KZC appeared to have developed cold feet over free movement, the MHA is also worried about the United Naga Council, which has considerable influence in Naga-dominated districts of the state such as Senapati and Ukhrul.
The Naga body has announced a “trade embargo” beginning September 8 over suspension of the Free Movement Regime with Myanmar and fencing of the border between the two countries.
The Kuki militant groups and the Centre have been engaged in talks since June this year to renegotiate the terms of the SoO agreement. Among the main goals was reaching an agreement on free movement, and pushing SoO Group camps from the fringes of the Valley into the hills – a long-standing demand of the Meiteis.
Currently there are 14 SoO group camps in Manipur. While many are stationed deep in the hills, some are in the areas where the hills meet the Valley. Meitei groups have alleged that these camps have been used to launch attacks in the Valley, a charge denied by the Kukis.
Other terms agreed upon now as part of the new SoO pact include proper identification of cadres by the SoO groups, via certificates. To regulate movement of their cadres outside camps, the SoOs would be required to keep the local police station in the loop.
Parallelly, the government is also erecting camps for the UNLF (United National Liberation Front), after signing a peace agreement with one of the oldest militant groups in the Manipur Valley in 2023.
Sources said the government is preparing ID cards for UNLF cadres who will stay in these camps, and that the process was nearing completion.
