Manipur Rallies Demand End to Kuki‑Zo Pact and Government Resignation

Thousands of people gathered in Imphal, Senapati and Chandel to protest the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki‑Zo militant groups and to demand the resignation of the state government. The main rally in Imphal was organized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, an umbrella body of Meitei groups, while Naga organisations held separate marches in the hill districts. Participants carried placards calling for the scrapping of the SoO pact and for the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen. The protests came after militants ambushed 14 Meitei men, killing three, and followed a series of ethnic clashes that have killed over 300 people since May 2023. Security forces recently took control of a camp meant to house Kuki‑Zo militants, raising doubts about compliance with the SoO agreement, which expired on September 4 and was not renewed. The SoO pact, signed in 2008, required militant groups to stay in designated camps and refrain from violence. It has faced increasing opposition since the outbreak of violence in May 2023, with the Manipur Assembly passing a resolution in February 2024 to scrap it. Naga organisations have also demanded its termination, accusing the Kuki‑Zo groups of involvement in the violence. The rallies brought together Meitei and Naga groups in a unified call for protection of indigenous communities, the termination of the SoO agreement and accountability from the state government.