A snapshot of life at a camp for former militants

Around 2000 Kuki National Army members await renewal of Suspension of Operations agreement in Manipur. Uncertain future amid ethnic clashes and elections.

On top of a hill in the remote Monbung village in Manipur’s Churachandpur distric are 21 members of the so-called Kuki National Army(KNA), an insurgent group in the northeast, standing guard to protect the camp and also their leader , self-styled Colonel Saipu Tauthang. Tautang(68) is among the 190 cadres of different Kuki militant groups in this camp who signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and state governments in 2008. Monitored by security forces, the cadres

Inside the KNA camp, self-styled corporals Chungkholen (left) and Bosco singing a hymn. (Prawesh Lama/HT Photo)