Churachandpur, 7 September 2025: The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF) have issued a clarification regarding the recently extended Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement signed between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the SoO group. The one-year extension, signed on 4 September 2025 in New Delhi, clearly stipulates that the agreement will be followed by tripartite talks with KNO and UPF aimed at achieving a political settlement under the Constitution of India within a specified timeframe.
However, the Public Information Bureau (PIB), which handles official communications from the MHA, released a statement claiming that the revised ground rules “reiterated the need for a negotiated solution to bring peace and stability to the state of Manipur.” The KNO and UPF pointed out that this statement is not part of the signed agreement and has led to significant confusion among the Kuki Zo community.
The groups expressed concern that PIB’s misrepresentation has aggravated sentiments already strained by the delayed signing of the agreement, originally expected on 29 February 2024. The postponement was triggered by pressure from the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei militant group, which forced the state government to unilaterally withdraw from negotiations.
With the Prime Minister’s visit to Lamka (Churachandpur District) scheduled for 13 September 2025, the Kuki Zo organisations fear that PIB’s erroneous narrative could undermine trust and intensify community tensions.
The statement also recalled the background leading to the present negotiations. Before the ethnic violence that erupted on 3 May 2023 in Imphal and later spread to the surrounding hill districts, the SoO group’s primary demand was for local autonomy through the formation of a Territorial Council within Manipur. The violence, displacement, and deteriorating conditions have since shifted the demand towards the creation of a Union Territory with a legislature - a proposal formally presented during the SoO meeting held in New Delhi on 1 September 2023.
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Going forward, KNO and UPF confirmed that future discussions with the Government of India will centre on their demand for Union Territory status, ensuring political rights, security, and dignity for the Kuki Zo people.
The organisations urged the public and authorities to rely only on verified information and support the community’s legitimate aspirations.
