We want govt's resignation: Thousands rally in Manipur against pact with Kuki groups

The protesters wanted stronger protection for Manipur’s indigenous communities and the resignation of the state government. They accused it of failing to protect lives and property during the continuing ethnic crisis. They also demanded an end to the Suspension of Operations, or SoO, agreement with Kuki-Zo militant groups.

The main rally in Imphal was organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity. Protesters carried messages such as “Save Manipur,” “We want peace and justice” and “Abrogate SoO pact.” Naga organisations held supporting marches in Senapati and Chandel. Some participants also called for action against illegal immigrants and narco-terrorism.

The demands followed an ambush in which 14 Meitei men were attacked and three were killed. Protesters said the SoO agreement should be scrapped because of alleged militant involvement in violence and concerns about camp compliance. The rallies showed growing Meitei-Naga pressure on the government.

The Suspension of Operations agreement is a formal truce involving the Centre, the Manipur government and Kuki-Zo militant groups. Its purpose is to suspend hostilities and create conditions for talks on a political settlement. The arrangement covers groups under the Kuki National Organisation and the United People’s Front.

Under the agreement, members must remain in designated camps and refrain from violence. Their weapons must stay under prescribed security arrangements. These rules are meant to separate armed groups from the wider population, reduce attacks and make their conduct easier to check while negotiations continue.

The agreement expired on September 4 and was not renewed. Security forces later took control of one camp after finding only one of its 159 registered members there. Authorities planned to inspect all 14 camps, raising fresh questions about compliance and intensifying calls for the pact’s termination.

The main march involved Meitei organisations under the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity. Naga participants also joined the Imphal rally, backed by the United Naga Council. In Senapati, the Naga People’s Organisation, district student body and women’s association organised a supporting rally. A similar protest took place in Chandel.

This cooperation mattered because Meiteis and Nagas have distinct community and regional identities in Manipur. The article describes the mobilisation as a coming together after three-and-a-half years of crisis. Participants presented a shared demand for indigenous protection, the scrapping of the SoO pact and accountability from the state government.

The joint action broadened the political pressure beyond the valley-based Meitei movement. Naga groups in the hill districts publicly defended ancestral land and supported the same core demands. It also signalled that opposition to the SoO agreement had become a wider issue than a single community’s protest.

Manipur’s ethnic conflict has caused a major loss of life. The article reports that at least 306 people have been killed since violence between valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kukis began in May 2023. Several people remain missing, so the reported death toll does not capture the full human cost.

The article also records a separate layer of violence. Clashes between Kukis and Nagas have killed around 50 people since February this year. In addition, militants recently ambushed 14 Meitei men and killed three, an incident that triggered fresh protests. These figures show how violence has spread across community lines.

The totals should be read as figures reported for different parts of the crisis, not automatically added together. The continuing deaths, disappearances and attacks have strengthened demands for security, accountability and a review of the SoO arrangement. They also make future negotiations more difficult.

The SoO arrangement developed in stages. Its origin was a 2005 understanding between the Indian Army and Kuki militant groups to suspend operations against one another. The formal agreement came in August 2008, when the Centre, the Manipur government and Kuki-Zo militant groups signed it.

The agreement was designed to stop fighting and facilitate talks for a political settlement. It covers groups belonging to two umbrella organisations: the Kuki National Organisation and the United People’s Front. Armed members were required to remain in designated camps while negotiations proceeded.

The arrangement became central to the Centre’s effort to address the Kuki-Zo insurgency through negotiations. Its continuation has faced increasing opposition since ethnic violence began in May 2023. The Manipur Assembly sought its scrapping in February 2024, while Naga organisations also accused Kuki-Zo militant groups of involvement in violence.

The SoO agreement provides a framework for suspending hostilities while the government negotiates with Kuki-Zo militant groups. If it is scrapped, that framework would disappear. The article does not state exactly what would replace it, but ending the pact could weaken the formal basis for camp rules, weapons controls and political discussions.

The camp inspection shows why compliance matters. Security forces found only one of 159 registered members at one camp, even though the agreement requires members to stay in designated camps. The pact also requires militants to avoid violence and keep weapons under prescribed security arrangements. Failure to follow these rules can damage confidence in the truce.

The likely challenge is balancing security with negotiations. The agreement has been central to talks, but it faces opposition from the Assembly, Meitei groups and Naga organisations. Scrapping it or allowing non-compliance could increase pressure for enforcement, while also making a negotiated political settlement more difficult.

In general, ceasefire agreements use designated camps to keep armed members in known locations rather than dispersed among communities. Weapons controls limit the ability to launch attacks quickly. Monitoring helps verify whether fighters are present, whether weapons remain secured and whether both sides are following the truce.

The SoO agreement applies these principles in Manipur. It requires Kuki-Zo militant members to remain in designated camps, refrain from violence and keep weapons under prescribed security arrangements. Security forces’ takeover of one camp, followed by plans to inspect all 14, shows how authorities can check compliance.

These safeguards can create a more predictable environment for negotiations. They help governments distinguish a genuine ceasefire from continued armed activity and provide evidence when rules are broken. If monitoring reveals absences or violence, trust can fall sharply. That can strengthen demands to end the agreement and make a political settlement harder to reach.