New Delhi: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an influential Civil Society body, on Tuesday appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) not to extend the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the 18 constituents of United Peoples’ Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), Manipur-based militant organisations.
The Home Ministry will review the extension of SoO with these militant outfits on Wednesday amid the ongoing ethnic clash between Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur. “We want that the government withdraw SoO with these Chin-Kuki-Zou militant groups to save the indigenous Manipur population,” said COCOMI spokesperson Athouba to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.
He said that the Government of India’s treatment and handling of armed Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist groups violate the fundamental rights of the indigenous Meitei citizens of Manipur. This treatment has legitimised their existence, he said. “The Government of India is not taking concrete action despite several pieces of evidence of violating the Suspension of Operations (SoO) ground rules by Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist groups. This is illegal,” claimed Athouba.
Since 2008, the UPF and KNO, representing former militant groups have signed Suspension of Operations pacts with the Government of India. Recently, they have also withdrawn their blockade on National Highway 2. It was on August 22, 2008, the UPF and KNO constituents, including Kuki National Front (Military Council), Kuki National Front (Zogam), United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA), United Minority Liberation Army (Old Kuki), United Komeran Revolutionary Army, Zoumi Reunification Front, Zou Defence Volunteer, Hmar National Army, Kuki Revolutionary Army (unification), Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), Kuki National Army have signed SoO with the Government of India and Government of Manipur.
Stating that the Manipur government decided to withdraw from SoO and declaration of Chin-Kuki armed groups as terrorists, Athouba alleged all these militant outfits of violating ceasefire ground rules. The Manipur government decided to withdraw from SoO with militant groups like KNA, ZRA, and KNF (MC) on March 10, 2023.
Referring to the Director of Intelligence Bureau report, Athouba said that 125000 acres of hill areas are under poppy cultivation. “About 650 MT of Opium is produced annually from Manipur hill areas of Kuki. 50,000 crore to 65, 000 crore revenue generation annually. These areas are protected and managed by Armed Chin-Kuki militants. All operated in Hill areas of Kuki settlement areas and surrounding hills… Is the Government of India deliberately supporting Narco-Terrorism in the region?’ asked Athouba.
He said that if the Government of India keeps engaging and legitimizing the Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist groups despite all this evidence, the people of Manipur will defy everything to determine their own future to fight the emerging Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorism in Manipur. “The Indian Intelligence had gathered enough evidence to understand the politics behind all this violence and yet doing nothing. We shall use all our people’s might to fight for our survival, for our youth generations. We shall expose the proxy game being played by the Government of India under the shadow of these SoO agreements including Narco-economy,” the COCOMI spokesperson said.
Athouba said that there is an open engagement of ZRA cadres in the conflict, hoisting flags in the foothill civilian areas of Meetei Villages and demonstration of full combat-dressed cadres with sophisticated weapons in Churachandpur town. “Government of India is responsible and SoO protects and encourages them from their direct engagement in Opium cultivation.
Manipur emerged as the largest producer of opium in the world and Chin-Kuki Narco-Terrorist are the primary actors and SoO groups are the key players which the Government of India is politically legitimising their illegal activities. This will have a direct impact on the youth of the nation, national security and an even more difficult situation with bigger South and South East Asian geopolitical ramification,” said Athouba.
