Imphal, August 10 2010: The Joint Monitoring Group, constituted to enforce the ground rules of the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki armed groups, during a meeting held today has made it clear that besides the 19 Kuki UG groups under the umbrella organisation of UPF and KNO, which have signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact, no other splinter groups have been included and the laid down ground rules do not permit any group, either under KNO or UPF, to change from one umbrella organisation to the other.

The meeting of the JMG held from 11 am to 1.30 pm at the banquet hall of Ist Manipur Rifles here was presided by Chief Secretary DS Poonia.

The JMG has been monitoring the progress of the tripartite agreement signed in August, 2008 with the involvement of the Centre, the State Government and the UG Kuki groups.

DGP, IGAR (South), GOC 57 Mountain Division, IG (Intelligence), Commissioner (Home), DGMI and leaders of KNO and UPF were among the members of JMG.

In connection with the meeting, a police officer who is a member of the JMG informed that discussion over emergence of splinter groups and the claim of some UG groups changing allegiance from one umbrella organisation to another have been thoroughly discussed among other issues.

With regard to emergence of splinter groups thereby creating confusion over the 2-year long tripartite agreement, it has been made clear that besides the 19 Kuki UG groups under the umbrella body of UPF and KNO, which are signatory of SoO, no other splinter groups have been included nor recognised, the police officer conveyed.

As to the issue related to the claim of UG groups changing allegiance from UPF to KNO or vice-versa, today's meeting noted that ground rules of SoO does not permit such changes.

However, a final decision in this regard would be taken in a joint meeting with the officials of the Union Home Ministry, the JMG member disclosed.

The next meeting of JMG which is due to be held on August 22 will prove crucial as it would discuss the extension of the SoO agreement, the JMG member said, while maintaining that SoO is progressing in the right direction.

It is learnt that in today's meeting, strong instructions have been given to all the signatories of SoO for adhering to the laid down ground rules and ensure that the recent incident at Moreh and threatening the Churachandpur correspondent of this newspaper are not repeated.

The progress on the construction work of the designated camps has also been reviewed during the meeting.

Of the 10 designated camps to be constructed, construction work on 8 camps is said to be nearing completion.

According to another source, in the JMG meeting today UPF and KNO leaders pointed out that they are not getting Rs 5000 as monthly stipend contrary to what the Chief Minister had announced in this regard.

Strong reservation had also been raised from the side of the UPF to the recent remarks made by a Minister that Commandos should arrest the armed cadres of SoO signatory groups from Sugnu area, the source added.

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