IMPHAL: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex Meitei civil society group in Manipur, has strongly condemned and opposed the central government’s decision to extend the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups.
The Centre, the Manipur government and the armed groups under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) signed off on the SoO agreement on Thursday.
“The extension of the SoO agreement, despite the series of terrorist and criminal acts committed by these groups, is a decision that runs completely against the interests of the indigenous people of Manipur. COCOMI reaffirms its stand to firmly oppose this anti-people move by the Government of India,” COCOMI said.
Sections of the valley population, including Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), a Thadou community group, have been demanding abrogation of SoO, alleging that the agreement was one of the main reasons behind the ongoing unrest in Manipur.
In its statement, COCOMI recalled that the state cabinet had favoured abrogating the SoO agreement on March 10, 2023.
“Under the current President’s Rule, the administration is being run by an authority appointed from New Delhi, which lacks the legitimacy to represent the people of Manipur in letter and spirit. The decision to extend the SoO under such circumstances is illegitimate and reflects an undemocratic and hegemonic imposition upon the indigenous people and their elected representatives,” it said.
The group has been critical of the SoO agreement in 2005 and 2008, claiming that it shields “narco-terrorist armed groups”.