SoO, a shield for lawlessness: IPFM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 14 2026: The Indigenous People's Forum Manipur (IPFM) has categorically stated that the Suspension of Operation (SoO) which was envisioned as a mechanism for cessation of hostilities and political dialogue has instead become a shield for lawlessness, ethnic intimidation and territorial aggression.

A statement issued by the IPFM has strongly condemned the continued curtailment of the Constitutional and fundamental rights of the indigenous peoples of Manipur due to the impunity granted under the SoO agreement and its agreed ground rules signed between the United People's Front (UPF), Kuki National Organisation (KNO), the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.

The recent incident involving the Liangmai indigenous community of Ireng Naga village (Puilong), Kangpokpi district is a glaring example of this grave injustice, it said.

Armed cadres of the Kuki National Front (KNF) operating under the UPF, and purportedly bound by the SoO agreement, allegedly vandalized public property, desecrated village memorials with provocative and divisive slogans such as "Kukiland" and "Stay Away,"* and issued direct threats of violence, including burning down the village and resorting to opening gunfire against unarmed civilians.

Such acts constitute blatant violations of the SoO ground rules and amount to criminal intimidation and terror against indigenous people, the IPFM said.

It said that the rights to life, dignity, security, property, and peacefill enjoyment of ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples of Manipur are being systematically undermined by the protection and impunity afforded to armed groups under the SoO framework.

What was envisioned as a mechanism for cessation of hostilities and political dialogue has instead become a shield for lawlessness, ethnic intimidation, and territorial aggression.

It then asked, "Today it is the Liangmai indigenous community of Ireng village; tomorrow, which indigenous community will face the same fate?" The IPFM questioned why both the Government of Manipur and the Government of India continue to turn a blind eye to such repeated and well-documented violations.

Despite numerous reports of SoO breaches - armed incursions into indigenous villages, destruction of property, and credible threats to civilian lives - there has been no decisive action to enforce accountability, disarm offenders, or withdraw the privileges enjoyed by these armed groups, it decried.

This continued inaction not only emboldens violators but also erodes public trust and communal harmony, the IPFM said.

The SoO agreement was earlier abrogated by a popularly elected Government of Manipur due to its persistent violations and failure to bring peace.

However, the present PR Government has chosen to renegotiate, re-sign, and effectively reinstate the same arrangement under revised ground rules, making it no different in substance.

This reversal is totally against the interests of the indigenous peoples of Manipur, who continue to suffer from unchecked militarization, demographic pressure, and encroachment upon their lands while their constitutional safeguards are ignored in the name of a flawed "peace process", it said.

The IPFM demanded immediate and strict enforcement of the SoO ground rules, with revocation of the agreement for any group found to be violating the ground rules repeatedly.

Registration of FIRs and transfer of serious cases involving threats, vandalism, and armed intimidation - such as the Ireng village incident - to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for an impartial and credible investigation and deployment of adequate State and Central security forces to protect vulnerable indigenous villages and prevent further armed incursions are two other demands raised by the forum.

It has also urged the Government for a comprehensive review of the SoO framework to ensure it does not provide cover for criminal activities, ethnic intimidation, or threats to national security and indigenous existence.

It has further demanded recognition, protection, and prioritization of the constitutional and fundamental rights of all indigenous peoples of Manipur, without exception and without impunity for armed actors The indigenous peoples of Manipur will not remain silent while their lands, identity, and future are placed under existential threat, it said.

The IPFM has also called upon all stakeholders - particularly the Government of India and the Government of Manipur - to act urgently, decisively, and impartially to uphold the Constitution and safeguard the rights, security, and dignity of the indigenous communities of Manipur.

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