Meitei Alliance urges Manipur governor to scrap SoO deal, cites armed group abuses

The Meitei Alliance, a global coalition of nearly 50 Meitei civil society organisations, has urged Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla not to renew the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki insurgent groups.

In a detailed representation, the group argued that the SoO pact - initially aimed at promoting peace - has instead undermined governance, fueled lawlessness, and allowed armed groups to act as parallel authorities across the state.

The Alliance stated that the SoO agreement, signed between two dozen Kuki insurgent outfits, the Centre, and the Manipur government, has “not only failed to deliver on these objectives but has also become a source of lawlessness, parallel authority, and systemic abuse across the state."

A recent NDTV investigation was cited as evidence, alleging that the Kuki National Front (KNF), a signatory to the SoO, siphoned off highway compensation funds in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. The funds were originally meant for those displaced due to a highway-widening project under the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL).

“This investigation exposes how groups - under the protection of SoO - have extended their influence into public institutions and resource distribution, thereby obstructing both governance and economic development,” the Alliance said. The representation further stated, “Multiple compensation credits were allegedly routed to individuals connected to SoO-protected armed groups; the entire process lacked transparency and accountability, undermining the rule of law and public trust."

While the KNF dismissed the allegations as “utterly baseless and motivated accusations aimed at maligning our organisation,” it did not call for any official probe or forensic audit.

Similarly, 12 village chiefs in Kangpokpi denied the claims that villagers were forced to sign blank documents under intimidation, but they too did not demand an investigation by any enforcement agency. Notably, none of the alleged eight middlemen involved in the compensation scandal has come forward to clarify the large sums credited to their accounts.

The Meitei Alliance listed three core reasons for rejecting the renewal of the SoO pact: the breach of constitutional authority, the erosion of public trust, and the increased fragmentation of Manipur’s social fabric.

The state assembly had also taken a firm stance earlier. On February 29, 2024 - the day the SoO agreement lapsed - it unanimously passed a resolution asking the central government to scrap the deal. The agreement had required insurgents to remain in designated camps with weapons stored securely under ground rules.

“Law and order is a state subject, and the continuation of SoO agreements - without accountability or consent from the elected state government - erodes constitutional federalism,” the Meitei Alliance added in its letter.

President’s Rule has been in force in Manipur since February following Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s resignation, with the assembly placed under suspended animation.

Highlighting the broader impact, the Meitei Alliance stated that the “SoO framework has enabled the ethnic militarisation of civil society, obstructing the return to normalcy and inclusive peace across communities in Manipur.”

The 25 Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar insurgent groups fall under two umbrella bodies: the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), led by the Kuki National Army (KNA), and the United People's Front (UPF), led by the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA). Both have signed the SoO agreement, with the KNF operating under the KNO.

Authorities have officially confirmed two violations of the SoO ground rules since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.