FNCC urges PM to close SoO camps, evict Kuki militants
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 21 2025: Foothills Naga Coordination Committee (FNCC) has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, urging immediate and irreversible steps to dismantle all Suspension of Operations (SoO) camps of Kuki militant groups located in or around Naga ancestral territories.

FNCC also called for a comprehensive review and total abrogation of the SoO agreement, which it described as "flawed, dangerous, and a threat to peace and stability in Manipur" .

The memorandum outlined the growing alarm among the Naga communities over the continued presence and reported relocation of Kuki militant camps in areas traditionally inhabited by Nagas.

The committee warned that the persistence of such camps not only disrupts communal harmony but undermines constitutional order and endangers national security.

"This appeal is not a protest but a clear warning," the memorandum declared, adding that: "No SoO camps existing or proposed shall be allowed within Naga-inhabited areas without our prior knowledge and informed consent".

FNCC specifically named Kharam Vaiphei and Kotlen areas as part of historically and culturally recognised Naga ancestral territory, cautioning that any attempt to impose camps forcibly in these regions would be treated as an act of aggression, provocative in nature and likely to ignite irreversible communal unrest.

FNCC further stated that if the Government of India proceeds with such actions, it "shall bear full responsibility for the consequences, which may surpass the tragic turmoil witnessed on May 3, 2023" .

The SoO agreement was initially signed as a bilateral understanding on August 1,2005, and later formalised into a tripartite arrangement on August 22, 2008, between the Government of India, the Government of Manipur, and two Kuki militant groups - the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF) .

According to FNCC, the agreement has "utterly failed" in delivering its objectives.

"Rather than fostering peace, SoO has emboldened armed criminality," FNCC asserted.

Accusing KNO and UPF, the primary signatories of the agreement, of consistently and brazenly violating SoO terms, the committee asserted that SoO-designated camps have effectively become operational bases for Kuki militant expansion, community intimidation, extortion, and violent aggression.

Despite repeated violations, the agreement is renewed annually, "without accountability or oversight", FNCC said, raising serious concerns about the intention and integrity of the process.

The memorandum listed nearly 20 verifiable cases of violent incidents, extortion, kidnappings, arson, and assaults allegedly carried out by Kuki armed groups between March 2023 and June 2025 .

Among these were the kidnapping of three civilians near Mapou village on March 10, 2023; the burning of a Naga home in Leimakhong on June 18, 2023; armed attacks on Naga youths in Kangpokpi on August 11, 2023; assaults on farmers, extortion demands, and the torching of 16 homes in Kazanga village on April 3, 2025.FNCC also cited the April 5, 2025 incident involving the kidnapping and brutal assault of Konsakhul villagers, including the village chief, chairman, and pastor.

In addition, it highlighted cases of land encroachment and bunker construction at Leikhampokpi (Nsak), widespread poppy cultivation in Makhan territory, and unprovoked attacks on several Naga villages including Longsai, Kaiphundeijang, Nungang, Thangbuk, Leimanei, Tingpui, and Satang Naga.

"These atrocities are not random; they are part of a well-orchestrated strategy of territorial aggression, ethnic domination, and demographic manipulation," the committee alleged.

FNCC said that far from serving as a peace mechanism, the SoO framework has turned into a "sanctuary for armed criminals", providing cover for illegal taxation, extortion, and territorial aggression.

"The inaction of state agencies and continued appeasement of these groups is not merely disappointing - it is dangerous and inexcusable," the statement read.

The committee also criticised the ongoing construction of so-called "German/Tiger" road, which it claimed glorify criminal elements and violate Naga territorial rights, calling for the immediate cessation of such activities, which it described as another form of encroachment.

In its memorandum, FNCC submitted five urgent demands to the Prime Minister.

First, it called for the immediate dismantling of all SoO camps situated in or near Naga-inhabited areas.

Second, it demanded the total abrogation and permanent non-renewal of the SoO agreements with KNO, UPF, and all other Kuki militant groups involved in violations.

Third, FNCC called for an immediate halt to the construction of "German/Tiger" road.

Fourth, it requested the constitution of a high-level enquiry commission to investigate all SoO-related violations and ensure time-bound legal prosecution of the guilty.

Fifth, it stated that any attempt to create a Separate Administration for Kukis must not touch "an inch" of Naga ancestral territory to prevent further violence.

FNCC said that the Naga people have long upheld the principles of peace, justice, and coexistence even under provocation and neglect.

However, it warned that peace cannot be maintained at the cost of their dignity, safety, and land.

"This is not merely a call for policy change, it is a call for justice, for the restoration of constitutional order, and for the protection of a people who have suffered long enough in silence," the memorandum stated.

Placing full trust in the Prime Minister's leadership, FNCC urged immediate and decisive action on the matter.

"We strongly urge that this memorandum be acted upon with the urgency, seriousness, and decisiveness that the situation demands," it added.

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