Statement on Extension of SoO in Manipur

Ref No: 20250909PR                                                                                                      Date:09/09/2025

Manipur has been engulfed in violence for over two years, with Kuki SoO militant groups at the core of the crisis. The Meitei Alliance views the recent extension of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the KNO and UPF not as a step toward peace, but as a reward for violence to militants who continue to hold the Meitei community hostage.

The Meitei Alliance has consistently opposed the SoO, publishing Ghost of Peace to provide detailed evidence and reasoning for its abrogation, submitting memoranda to the Union Home Minister and the Governor of Manipur, and joining hands with other communities to demand its termination. Far from strengthening democracy, the continuation of SoO emboldens militant groups in their pursuit of a separate country, inspired by a racist, genocidal, Nazi-style ideology. Their book Zale’ngam openly envisions a “Kuki-exclusive homeland” — a Lebensraum for Kukis by displacing or ethnically cleansing other indigenous peoples and minorities from their occupied lands in Manipur and the broader Northeast. By extending SoO, the Government of India risks accelerating the balkanization of the Northeast and undermining Manipur’s integrity.

We strongly urge the Government of India to reconsider its decision. Extending SoO directly contradicts the unanimous resolution of the Manipur Legislative Assembly calling for its abrogation, and ignores the sufferings of Manipuri people who continue to endure violence, intimidation, and disruption of daily life. Despite repeated appeals from diverse organizations and communities, the Centre has chosen to extend the agreement under President’s Rule — without the participation of Manipur’s elected representatives. This not only undermines democratic principles, but also strengthens militant groups that thrive on violence and destabilization.

The warning issued by the KNO and UPF barely two days after signing the SoO — that it “must not be misinterpreted as an endorsement of unrestricted movement between Meitei and Kuki areas” — openly mocks the Government of India. It exposes the hollowness of the SoO framework and raises serious doubts about the sincerity and clarity of the Government’s approach. The reality is stark: both lifeline highways remain under militant blockade, inflicting economic strangulation, humanitarian hardship, and fundamental rights violations, especially against the Meiteis.

The Government of India must act with resolve. Peace cannot be built on appeasement. True stability requires dismantling militant structures, restoring authority to the State Government, and upholding the rights and dignity of all communities in Manipur.

How SoO Has Enabled Violence and Instability

Instead of fostering peace, the SoO has provided cover for continued militancy, leading to:

  • The brutal killing of a Thadou leader by KRA (a SoO signatory) for advocating peace with Meiteis, just days before the signing of the agreement. 
  • Kidnapping, killings and open attacks on civilians and security forces using sophisticated weapons (snipers and drones)
  • Extortion and illegal taxation on ordinary citizens, businesses and highways
  • Encroachment into reserved forests and illegal immigrant’s settlements.
  • Large-scale poppy cultivation and drug trafficking.
  • Recruitment of new cadres and militarization of SoO camps.
  • Stockpiling of arms and ammunition under protection of the agreement.
  • Electoral manipulation through threats and intimidation.
  • Silencing of voices advocating peace and coexistence.

Flaws in the SoO Framework

The agreement itself is fundamentally flawed:

  • Militant groups are part of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG), creating a conflict of interest and shielding them from accountability.
  • The State Government cannot act against violators without JMG approval, leaving militants free to operate.
  • Disarmament is a farce under the “two-key” arrangement, where militants themselves hold access to weapons in camps.

The Meitei Alliance calls upon the Government of India to:

  1. Abrogate the SoO agreement with KNO and UPF militant groups.
  2. Restore full authority to the State Government in all law-and-order matters.
  3. Take strict action against all groups involved in killings, extortion, illegal recruitment, electoral interference, and Narco-terrorism.

The SoO has become a shield for militancy, crime, and instability. Extending it even after the murder of a peace advocate is a direct threat to Manipur’s integrity and India’s national security. True peace can only be achieved by dismantling structures that legitimize violence, not by strengthening them.

Issued by:
Meida Coordinator, Meitei Alliance