Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said that a total of 69 militants belonging to different insurgent groups laid down arms in 2022.
“A total of 69 militants of different groups eschewed the path of violence and joined the national mainstream through home-coming ceremonies since March 2022 till date,” said Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
N Biren Sing took charge as chief minister of Manipur for the second time in March 2021.
Addressing a press conference in Imphal on Friday night, the CM said, the ‘Cessation of Operations (CoO)’ agreement was signed recently with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) in New Delhi and processes for signing a similar agreement with some other rebel groups are also in progress.
“Manipur has 34 different communities recognized by the government and there are around 35 underground outfits in the state,” the CM who also holds the home portfolio said while replying to a question in the state assembly on Feb 26, 2020.
The historic tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) was signed between the Centre, the State Government (Manipur), and the Kuki revolutionary groups under the umbrella of a common bilateral platform called the UPF (United People’s Front) and the KNO (Kuki National Organisation) in New Delhi on August 22, 2008, with a certain set of ground rules.
The tripartite agreements were also signed with Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United Peoples’ Front (UPF), Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and 17 other groups.