Imphal: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has demanded the immediate termination of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki National Army (KNA) and Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), operating under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), alleging serious violations of the pact’s ground rules.
The demand follows a security operation at Shamushang Camp, where security forces reportedly arrested 18 individuals and seized a cache of sophisticated weapons. COCOMI said the findings exposed serious shortcomings in the government’s implementation of the SoO arrangement.
According to the committee, the designated camp was supposed to accommodate 66 KNA cadres and 93 KLA cadres, but only one individual was reportedly found present during the operation.
The operation followed the October 19 arrest of three individuals suspected of involvement in an attack at Khongbal Sunurok Urok Hill, in which three civilians were killed and three others injured.
COCOMI alleged that the findings at Shamushang Camp pointed to the involvement of armed groups in a prolonged period of violence and killings in the Khamenlok area over the past three-and-a-half years. It further accused the groups of functioning as proxy forces with the alleged backing of the central government.
The committee called on the Joint Monitoring Group to terminate the ceasefire arrangement and urged the Manipur government to declare the KNA and KLA unlawful organisations within a stipulated timeframe. It also demanded immediate search operations at all remaining designated SoO camps to verify the presence of cadres and ensure compliance with the agreement.
COCOMI criticised the extension of the SoO agreement in September, saying the decision ran contrary to public sentiment. It also pointed out that earlier commitments to reduce the number of designated camps from 14 to seven and relocate them away from civilian settlements, national highways and critical infrastructure had yet to be implemented.
The organisation further called on the Centre to release a comprehensive report detailing the status of all active designated camps and the number of cadres associated with each group.
COCOMI claimed that the central government had spent approximately Rs 280 crore over the past 18 years to support the organisations, at an alleged annual rate of Rs 15 crore.
The committee urged the Manipur government to initiate formal proceedings to end the agreement without further delay. It warned that the government would be held responsible if attacks against indigenous Naga and Meitei communities continued.
The demands come amid renewed scrutiny of the SoO arrangement following the security operation and allegations of violations at the designated camp. The allegations made by COCOMI have not been independently verified.
