Many more rally around call to scrap SoO
Source: The Sangai Express

Imp/Tbl/Mrg, February 27 2024: There is no let up in the demand to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact as more people staged different forms of protest against the ceasefire agreement signed between the Government and Kuki militant groups.

At Kakching, a large number of people staged a sit-in protest at Kakching Keithel with a list of demands to terminate the SoO pact and to keep all land records of the district at the DC office.

The protesters also demanded that no elections should be held in Manipur until there is normalcy and they submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Biren Singh by taking out a rally upto Kakching DC office.

The memorandum was submitted through Kakching Deputy Commissioner.

Many more rally around call to scrap SoO

Speaking to the media on the sideline, president of All Kakching Clubs Co-ordinating Committee Ksh Dharmadas said that the SoO agreement shouldn't be extended under any circumstances after the next review which falls on February 29 .

Saying that over 50,000 people got displaced in the violent campaign of Kuki militants and they still are taking refuge at different relief camps , he urged all concerned not to hold the Parliamentary elections in Manipur until there is normalcy.

He also said that keeping the land records of villages under the revenue jurisdiction of Kakching in Imphal is troublesome to them and urged the Government to do the needful.

A two-day protest also commenced today at Moirang Lamkhai with similar demands to scrap the SoO pact, update NRC and withdraw Assam from Manipur.

The protesters said that extending the SoO pact with Kuki militants would be a serious blunder on the part of the Government.

They also demanded that Assam Rifles should be withdrawn from Manipur and to update and implement NRC in Manipur.

A sit-in protest was staged at Changangei Maning Leikai Heigru Makhong under the banner "Abrogate SoO pact with Kuki militants and remove Assam Rifles" .

Placards with inscriptions "Abrogate SoO'', "No separate administration," "Save Manipur save India," "Down down Kuki narco terrorists," "We want peace" were shown during the demonstration organised by Changangei Students' Welfare Organisation and Changangei Maning Leikai Apunba Meira Paibi" .

A meira paibi leader Khumukcham Ruhini urged all legislators to take a House resolution to scrap the SoO pact in the Assembly session.

Discontinue SoO, withdraw Assam Rifles and update National Register of Citizens (NRC), said a group of people who staged a protest at Ema Wangoo Tampha Lairembi Haraobung, today.

The protesters, mostly womefolk also took out a rally and raised slogans against the SoO pact and to identify and deport the illegal immigrants by carrying out NRC exercise.

Womenfolk also staged a sit-in demonstration at Changangei Maning Leikai Heigru Makhong.

The protest was organised by the Students Welfare Organisation and Changangei Maning Leikai Apunba Nupi Lup.

The protesters used placards that read "Abrogate SoO with Kuki terrorists", "No separate administration", "Save Manipur, save India", "Down down Kuki narco-terrorists", "We want peace" etc.

During the sit-in, Changangei Maning Leikai Apunba Nupi Lup secretary, Khumukcham Ruhini said the Government must not extend the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact.

The agreement, signed with Kuki militant organisations, must be scrapped immediately, she said.

Since the beginning of the conflict last year, Kuki militants have violated ground rules of the SoO by attacking Meitei settlements and killing innocent civilians, she said.

Against the SoO pact, the State Government must take a resolution in the Assembly, she added.

Further, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) should be implemented in Manipur to identify illegal immigrants and deport them.

Also, the controversial Assam Rifles should be removed from the State of Manipur, she added.