New Delhi: Differences have emerged among the constituents of Kuki-Zo armed groups in Manipur that signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Centre in 2008. There are two sticking points—a clause in the pact that SoO groups will not undertake any activity that threatens the territorial integrity of Manipur, and bringing down the number of camps where their cadres live from 14 to 10. These disagreements are threatening to stall the ongoing talks to extend the SoO agreement, ThePrint has learnt.
The tripartite agreement was first signed on 22 August, 2008, between the Centre, the Manipur government, Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), which together represented 25 insurgent groups comprising Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmars. The agreement was signed to initiate political dialogue with the armed groups operating in the state to end hostilities and settle demands made by them for a separate homeland.
The agreement has to be renewed every year. However, following the conflict that erupted in Manipur in May 2023 between two ethnic groups—the non-tribal Meiteis and the Kukis, who are tribal Christians, the pact was not extended after it lapsed in February 2024.
Under SoO agreement, cadres of insurgent groups who came overground were put up in designated camps, called SoO camps. They have to deposit their arms in a safe room inside the camps, which is kept locked. The camps are regularly inspected by security forces. The cadre cannot go outside the camps or take arms outside. Those living in SoO camps get a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 as part of their rehabilitation.
It also mandates that as long as SoO is in place, security forces—be it central or state—and the cadres in the camp, will desist from launching any operation against each other. The insurgent groups, which are signatories of the pact, will also not undertake any activity that threatens the territorial integrity of the state. This last clause has now become a bone of contention between the SoO groups and the Centre.
Three people aware of the developments told ThePrint that differences have emerged between them, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government representatives in the ongoing talks over the ground rules of SoO that was part of the agreement signed in 2008. The existing ground rules are being looked at again and renegotiated before SoO agreement is extended, one of the persons said.
The Centre had held two meetings with the SoO groups on 4 July and 7 July to discuss the sticky issues.
“The SoO groups had signed the agreement with this clause in 2008. At that time, we were only demanding a territorial council within Manipur. But post May 2023, the ground situation has changed. Our unanimous demand is a Union territory with a legislature under Article 239A of the Constitution. Puducherry has the same model where the administrative arrangement allows it to take care of land issues,” one of the SoO representatives said.
The person added, “SoO groups are cooperating with the Centre as we are looking forward to a political solution, but we are not going to settle for anything other than our demand for a UT with legislature.”
However, government sources told ThePrint that the Centre is unlikely to accede to the demand.
“Talks have hit a logjam because of differences between the SoO groups and the MHA over the clause. The SoO groups want the line to be modified to reflect what they are demanding. Backchannel negotiations are going on to resolve the differences before talks progress further,” a Manipur government official, who did not want to be named, said to ThePrint.
The Centre had last month resumed talks with the SoO groups to renew the pact, which is considered one of the crucial steps to bringing back normalcy in the state.
Also read: MHA resumes talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups after 2 yrs to discuss ‘way forward’, renewal of SoO pact
Consolidation of camps
The talks also hit the pause button over the Ministry of Home Affairs demand that the number of SoO camps be consolidated to 10 from the existing 14 and relocation of some of the camps in the fringe areas adjoining the Valley, inhabited by the Meiteis.
This is not acceptable to one of the SoO constituents, the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), three people aware of the development said to ThePrint.
Of the 14 camps, seven belong to KNO, which represents 16 groups, mostly Kuki-Zo tribes. The UPF, which represents eight groups, including three belonging to the Zomi tribe, has another seven camps.
“While the KNO, with seven camps, agreed to close four and merge them into two, bringing the total number of their camps to five, constituents of the UPF, which have a total of seven camps, have refused to close theirs and bring it down to five,” one of the persons quoted earlier said.
Out of the seven camps of UPF, the Zomi tribe have three camps where cadres of ZRA, Zou Defence Volunteer and Zomi Revolutionary Front live while the remaining constituents have four camps. The latter group has agreed to shut one of their camps but the ZRA, which was told to shut one of its camps, has refused.
“All the other SoO constituents tried to convince ZRA to close one of their camps so that total UPF camps come down to 5 but they have not agreed. We tried telling them that this is one of the terms set by the MHA for the tripartite talks to go forward. Because they are not agreeing, there will be a delay till this issue is resolved,” one of the SoO representatives told ThePrint.
Ketheos Zomi, who represented the ZRA and was the team leader of UPF (Zomi) in the tripartite talks, said to ThePrint, “In the meeting on 4 July and then again on 7 July, we were told to merge three of our camps into one. But this is not acceptable to us. We have been in our camps for the past 17 years. We are not going to close any of our camps. It is non-negotiable. This is the decision of Zomis taken by the Zomi Civil Society Organisation.”
However, Ketheos reiterated that other than the closure of camps, the Zomis never were and aren’t against the Indian government. “We are committed to the government’s policy and road map. We are all for political dialogue with the government to restore normalcy. Closure of camps has nothing to do with political talks. We asked A.K. Mishra, the interlocutor for the talks, if there is any other alternative to address our concerns, but we were told that we have to shut the camps first,” he added.
ThePrint reached Mishra via WhatsApp message. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
The SoO groups have the support of the elected representatives and civil society groups in the hills, and they are representing the tribal community in the ongoing talks to extend the agreement.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Carrom, kitchen work, weapons upkeep: A day in the lives of Kuki ‘insurgents’ at an SoO camp in Manipur
