Imphal: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Government of Manipur and Kuki-Zo insurgent groups have signed a renewed and revised Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in New Delhi.
The updated agreement upholds the territorial integrity of Manipur and provides for political dialogue within the framework of the Constitution of India, officials said on Sunday.
The tripartite meeting brought together senior representatives of the central government, the state government and two major Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF).
The revised ground rules and terms of the agreement took effect immediately upon signing and will remain valid for one year.
Under the revised operational norms, seven designated camps will be shifted away from sensitive and conflict-prone areas, while the overall number of active camps will also be reduced.
As part of the camp consolidation process, cadres will be required to deposit their weapons with the nearest Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) or Border Security Force (BSF) camps.
Official estimates put the combined number of designated camps operated by the KNO and UPF at around 14, mainly located in the hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. These camps house approximately 2,200 armed cadres.
The original tripartite SoO agreement was signed in 2008 with 25 Kuki-Zo insurgent groups operating under the KNO and UPF, comprising 17 groups under the KNO and eight under the UPF. The agreement has since been extended periodically.