Two influential Kuki-Zo organisations have signed a re-negotiated Suspension of Operations agreement with the Centre, committing to maintain Manipur’s territorial integrity and relocate camps from conflict-prone areas.
The agreement, inked by the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday after several rounds of discussions in New Delhi. Officials said the pact is intended to revive the peace process in a state scarred by ethnic violence since May 2023.
The pact specifies that the groups will relocate seven designated camps, store weapons at nearby Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force camps, and allow strict verification of cadres to exclude foreign nationals.
According to the MHA, “A tripartite meeting among representatives of MHA, government of Manipur and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF) was 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.”
The agreement also binds both KNO and UPF to abjure violence and respect the Constitution of India, while committing to dialogue for a negotiated political settlement. A joint monitoring group will oversee adherence to ground rules, with violations liable to lead to a review of the pact.
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Significantly, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has pledged to reopen National Highway-02, a vital lifeline linking the state, for unhindered movement of essential goods and commuters. The highway has long been at the centre of demands from valley-based groups.
The SoO arrangement, first signed in 2008, lapsed in February 2024 against the backdrop of clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities. Since May last year, violence has claimed nearly 260 lives and displaced thousands.
Officials maintained that security forces will not act against the signatory groups so long as they respect the agreement. In return, the groups are forbidden from offensive operations such as ambushes, extortion or kidnapping.
The timing of the pact is seen as significant, coming days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anticipated visit to Manipur — his first since the outbreak of ethnic strife.
Manipur remains under President’s Rule, imposed in February after chief minister N Biren Singh stepped down. The Assembly, whose tenure extends till 2027, has been placed under suspended animation.
The agreement has raised expectations of a fresh political dialogue and prospects of stability in a state where conflict has dominated the landscape for more than a year.
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