Imphal/Guwahati: The renewal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement between the central government, the Manipur government, and two umbrella groups that represent 24 Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar rebel factions has caused a new wave of controversy. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday that the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) had agreed to let people move freely on National Highway-2 (NH-2). However, both Meitei and Kuki civil society groups have since made statements that are at odds with each other, which has raised concerns about safety and state authority.
The KZC, which speaks for the civilian side of the Kuki-Zo community, quickly made its position clear. It said that its appeal was only for the part of NH-2 that goes through the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district, not for “unrestricted access or free movement” between Meitei and Kuki settlements. The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), which are both parties that support the insurgents, agreed with this position. They said their goal was to make sure that important items could get through safely with the help of central security forces.
The Meitei Heritage Society (MHS) has labeled the MHA’s claim “misleading,” saying that it goes against what the Kuki militants who signed the pact said in an official statement. The MHS added that the current position shows that “a private organization, not the Indian State,” now has the power to open or close national highways in Manipur. The group said this was “both embarrassing and unacceptable,” stressing that private or rebel groups should not be permitted to restrict the Constitution’s principle of free movement.
The MHS is worried that the MHA’s “misleading press release” could put Meitei commuters in danger because Kuki organizations have said in the past that they won’t let Meiteis walk freely through “buffer zones.” For the sake of public safety, the society has officially asked the MHA to make clear what the rules are for unrestricted mobility.
The fight over the roadway is a small example of the bigger ethnic tensions that have been taking on in Manipur since May 2023. More than 260 people have died because of the violence, and about 50,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. The Manipur Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have established that both Meitei and Kuki rebels were involved in the fighting, and there are a number of cases being looked into.
The SoO deal, which was first signed in 2008, says that militants must stay at certain camps and give up their weapons. But both the Meitei and Kuki communities have complained that the opposing side’s insurgent organizations broke the regulations. For example, the Meitei Heritage Society pointed up a video statement from a group that called itself the “Kuki Village Volunteers Eastern Zone.” This organization opposed the SoO agreement and threatened unrestricted mobility. The Manipur Police said they don’t have any records of this group, but the event has made people even more suspicious.
The SoO accord itself is a source of disagreement. In March 2024, Okram Ibobi Singh, the former Chief Minister of Manipur, told the state assembly that the Assam Rifles and Kuki insurgent groups signed an initial “ceasefire” agreement in 2005 without the state government’s knowledge. This agreement was later made official in 2008 with the state’s help. The state government has been trying to stop the deal because they say that rebels associated to SoO have been implicated in the bloodshed.
The status of free movement on NH-2 is still a major issue of concern, showing how deeply divided the state is along ethnic and political lines.