KNO states stand on withdrawal of SoO pact
Source: Chronicle News Service

Kangpokpi, March 12 2023: Kuki National Organisation (KNO), one of the umbrella organisations of the Kuki underground groups and an entity of the tripartite talks with the governments of India and Manipur has stated that the decision of the state cabinet to withdraw from suspension of operation (SpO) signed with KNA and ZRA contradicts the very essence of signing the peace pact.

In the wake of peace rallies held on March 10 including the violent one in Kangpokpi district, the state cabinet on the same day reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in some districts and decided to delist Kuki National Army (KNA) and Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), both signatories of SoO, from the tripartite talks.

However, one of the SoO signatories namely Kuki National Organisation (KNO) said that the cabinet decision contradicted the very essence of the Suspension of Operations, which since its signing in 2008, has ushered in huge peace dividends in the hills of Manipur.

According to KNO joint secretary (information and publicity) Stephen Kuki, the primary purpose of signing the SoO in 2008 was to create an atmosphere conducive for amicable political dialogue among the Government of India, the Government of Manipur and the two umbrella organisations namely Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People s Front (UPF) .

The progress made in the course of dialogue from 2019 till date has been commendable given that settlement has been sought within the Constitutional framework of India and within the state of Manipur, he added.

With regard to the peace rally held on March 10, the KNO leader stated that Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) organised the peaceful protest against the state government's improper procedure concerning declaration of parts of the Scheduled Areas as Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, Protected Sites, and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Citing one example, the KNO leader pointed out that K Songjang village has been a gazetted village within the Kungpi Naosen village area recognised in 1926 but was evicted on February 20, 2023.To air public grievance, ITLF organised a peaceful march on March 10, which went off successfully with a memorandum submitted to the state Governor and the chief minister, he added.

On CM Biren's remark in a Northeast Live interview about the nationality of KNA leader PS Haokip and ZRA leader Thanglianpau, the KNO leader clarified that PS Haokip is a citizen of India and he was born at Akhan village in Phek district of Nagaland while Thanglianpau was formerly a Member of Parliament from the National League of Democracy, Myanmar but has acquired Indian citizenship now.

Regarding poppy cultivation, Stephen Kuki stated that KNO has extensively engaged in the eradication of poppy plantations since 2016 and also took part in the government's drive to end poppy cultivation since 2022 .

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