Public demand to cancel SoO pact with Kuki militants grows louder
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal/Thoubal, May 26 2023:
The demand for immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Kuki militant groups is ever growing with more and more people coming out in support of the demand.
Youth Development Committee (YDC) Khoirom and Khoirom Apunba Meira Paibi staged a sit-in protest today at Khoirom Ataobung Keithel in Yairipok Khoirom, Thoubal district under the banner of "One Manipur, One Administration" .
Speaking on the sideline of the protest, a meira paibi leader stated that people have been deeply impacted by the recent eruption of violence.
"The violence has especially affected villagers living adjacent to villages in the hills who have fled their homesteads", she added.
Appealing to the Government to delpoy State Forces instead of Central Paramilitary Forces, she alleged that while the young men of the village guard the village, Central security forces are busy conducting search operations in the houses and causing fear among the people.
Placards with the slogans such as "Cancel SoO with Kuki militant groups", "Go back foreign militants", "Long live Manipur", "We support war on drugs", "No to separate administration", etc were used extensively at the protest.
Meanwhile, Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai Youth's Organisation and Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai Chaokhat Khongthang Nupi Lup have asserted that the only way to bring long lasting peace in Manipur is to cancel the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Kuki militant groups.
In a joint release, Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai Youth's Organisation and Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai Chaokhat Khongthang Nupi Lup appealed to the public leaders to come forward and make the Central Government understand that there is no way forward without cancelling the SoO pact with Kuki militant groups.
"It is high time for the Central Forces deployed in the State to refrain from taking sides and carry out their duties responsibly to prevent further violence in Manipur", it added.
Besides, Manipur People's Party (MPP) has questioned the silence of the Union Government on the ethnic conflict in Manipur that has led to the irreparable loss of precious innocent lives and properties.
In a release, MPP stated that the Union Government has done nothing to prevent the Kuki militant groups based in Myanmar from killing innocent civilians, destroying and vandalising the houses belonging to the Meitei community.
MPP also expressed shock over the failure of the State Government to take any action against the 10 MLAs threatening the integrity of Manipur by demanding separate administration.
MPP alleged that Kuki militants under SoO are still continuing their heinous act of attacking innocent civilians while the Central Para Military and Assam Rifles have remained a mute spectator to all these atrocities.
"MPP will stand with the people to safeguard the integrity of Manipur and all those who want Greater Mizoram may go to Mizoram", it concluded.