Abrogate SoO: Student bodies to Centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 02 2023: Despite having full knowledge of involvement of Kuki militants under Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement in the unprecedented attacks and killing of Meetei people since May 3, the Government of India is still unable to take action and continuing to protect Kuki militants in the name of SoO, alleged six student bodies namely MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK, AIMS and another one and demanded immediate abrogation of SoO.

In a joint statement, the student bodies said that the Government of India's continued protection of SoO Kuki militants despite having knowledge of their involvement in the violence is the main reason for prolonging the conflict.

Instead of taking action, the Government of India (GOI) continues to hold dialogue with SoO Kuki militants amidst the on-going violence while SoO militants continue to launch attacks on innocent Meetei people.

This has raised concerns among different sections of the society as to what dialogue the GOI is holding with Kuki militants and why is the GOI unable to stop Kuki militants from attacking Meetei community, the joint statement said and expressed suspicion that either the GOI is unable to control SoO Kuki militants or giving protection to them.

The joint statement further said that absence of SoO cadres at UKLF and KNA camps during the operation conducted in aftermath of the killing of SDPO Chingtham Anandkumar proved beyond doubt the direct involvement of SoO Kuki militants in the ongoing violence.

It also said that responsibility for killing of the SDPO and ambush on police reinforcement team must be fixed off the SoO Kuki militants and SoO must be abrogated followed by decisive action against them.

While stating the absence of SoO cadres at the designated camps cannot be taken lightly, the bodies said that the state government and Union home minister Amit Shah must specify actions to be taken up against SoO Kuki militants to the people of Manipur clearly.

If the GOI continues to remain silent and unable to take action against Kuki militants despite acknowledging violation of ground rules, the people of Manipur will consider that the ongoing violence was engineered by the Government of India in collusion with Kuki militants with a hidden agenda to attack indigenous people of the land, the six student bodies said.

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