Monitoring group meeting of SoO
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 19 2011: A meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) of signatories of the tripartite SoO signed by Central government, State government of Manipur and two consortium of Kuki undergrounds was held today at 1st MR banquet hall here, said an official source.

It appears that an uncomfortable situation arose for the government and the UG groups.

In the past few months both sides have been blaming each other for going against the ground rules of the SoO.

In today's JMG meeting, representatives of the two consortiums of Kuki UGs, UPF and KNO, refused to accept their monthly stipends for February 2011 on the ground that they have been vetted and reduced, said our source.

The government apparently justified the reduced rate of stipends on the ground that the cadres have been playing truant from the designated camps in contravention to the ground rules of the SoO.

"Representatives of UPF and KNO said that unless the rates agreed to be paid to its cadres, they will continue to refuse the stipends," said the source, adding that the representatives of the government will take the case before the home department following the stand-off.

The meeting of the JMG also approved the construction of two new designated camps, one for ZRA which is under UPF and the other for KNF�MC which is with KNO.

Both camps are expected to be located within Churachandpur district-.

The government has also decided to implement solar lighting and to provide drinking water in the designated camps.

A couple of designated camps have already been provided with the facilities, said the source.

Without giving any timeframe, the government's side has also sought for the implementation of a vocational training programme for inmates of the signatories of So.

The meeting of the JMG was held away from the glare of the media attended by representatives from all sides.

Addl DGP, LM Khaute, Director SIB, top ranking officers of AR, BSF and CRPF represented the government, the top brass of the two consortiums of Kuki UGs, UPF and KNO, were equally represented at the meeting.

Significantly, there are about 18 Kuki UG groups, under the broad banner of UPF and KNO, which have signed the SoO pact with the Central and State government who are lodged in about 10 designated camps in the State, which has now been increased to 12 with the proposal to construct two new designated camps.

The tripartite SoO was first signed between the two consortiums of Kuki UGs with Central and State government in the year 2008 and several meetings of the Joint Monitoring Group have taken place till date.

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