Days after the Centre signed a landmark tripartite agreement with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups and the Manipur government to renew the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, the SoO groups released a statement on Sunday, stating that future talks with the Centre would focus on the demand for a political solution.
The statement issued by two umbrella bodies, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), which represents 24 insurgent groups, was released on Sunday evening. Their statement on Sunday said that while the agreement states that the SoO pact will be followed by a “negotiated political settlement under the Constitution of India” in a time-bound manner, the government statement said - a negotiated solution to bring peace and stability to Manipur.
This, the groups said, does not figure in the agreement and has thus confused the people leading to protests.
Officials in Manipur said the insurgent groups were under pressure to release the statement because of protests by many Kuki-Zo civilian groups, who have refused to allow free movement or entry of Meitei people in the hill districts. The groups have criticised the insurgent groups for backing down from the demand of a political solution(separate administration from valley, where Meiteis live).
On Thursday, when the tripartite agreement was signed, the Centre had also convinced the Kuki-Zo Council(KZC) to open traffic on an arterial highway that was blocked for two years, and allow free movement. For the last few days, even as the KZC issued a statement urging civilians not to block traffic on the NH1 and cooperate with security forces, the free movement between districts for the two warring communities - Meities and Kuki-Zo- is yet to start.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, when the tripartite agreement was signed, the Centre had also convinced the Kuki-Zo Council(KZC) to open traffic on an arterial highway that was blocked for two years, and allow free movement. For the last few days, even as the KZC issued a statement urging civilians not to block traffic on the NH1 and cooperate with security forces, the free movement between districts for the two warring communities - Meities and Kuki-Zo- is yet to start.
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