Imphal: A large public rally organised by Naga organisations at Traffic Point in Senapati district headquarters on Saturday called for the immediate termination of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, the replacement of Assam Rifles with neutral forces in conflict-affected areas and the resignation of Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen.
The demonstration was organised under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) and coordinated by the Senapati District Apex Body. It was held in solidarity with the mass rally organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in Imphal. According to the organisers, the parallel mobilisation in the hill district followed a directive from the UNC to protect ancestral territories amid the continuing crisis in the state.
A memorandum outlining the protesters’ demands was submitted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Senapati Deputy Commissioner.
Addressing the gathering, UNC president NG Lorho said Nagas across the hill districts had united to safeguard their historical land rights, which they would not compromise. He also alleged that the involvement of the Kuki National Army-Burma posed a threat to India’s national security and indigenous communities.
Lorho criticised the Assam Rifles, accusing the force of partisan conduct, harassing residents and disarming local village volunteers. He claimed these actions had undermined public confidence in the paramilitary force.
The UNC leadership also alleged that Kuki militant groups were misusing the SoO agreement to attack Naga villages, displace residents and occupy ancestral lands. The council pointed to what it described as serious lapses in monitoring designated camps under the agreement.
Citing a verification exercise at the Mount Sinai designated camp, the UNC claimed that only one cadre was present at the site, against the 150 personnel stipulated under the official ground rules.
The rally also raised concerns over accountability and the implementation of earlier administrative commitments.
Referring to the recent abduction and killing of six Naga men, Lorho alleged that the president of the Kuki National Front was involved in the incident. He further pointed out that the organisation was headed by the husband of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, arguing that her continuation in the state Cabinet raised concerns over a possible conflict of interest. The rally consequently demanded her resignation.
Other demands included an end to what the UNC described as a proxy war, the immediate resettlement of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the full implementation of the September 26 tripartite agreement signed in Guwahati by the Centre, the Manipur government and the UNC.