Manipur: Centre plans to relocate some designated camps of SoO groups, MHA holds meet with KNO and UPF leaders

Several of the camps are currently located close to the valley districts which are dominated by the Meiteis.

The Ministry of home affairs is working on changes on the ground rules governing the conduct of the Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur who are on suspension of operations since 2008.

Sources said, the Centre is planning to relocate some of the 14 designated camps of the SoO groups to areas further inside the hill districts in the state domintated by the Kuki-Zo groups.

Several of the camps are currently located close to the valley districts, which are dominated by the Meiteis.

This was one of the issues that was discussed in a security review meeting in New Delhi on June 17 presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where heads of security agencies including the army were present.

The issue of SoO with the Kuki-Zo rebel groups is significant because the Biren Singh government as well as several Meitei civil society groups have been demanding abrogation of the SoO agreement.

The tenure of the agreement expired in February end this year and has not yet been formally extended by the Centre. In view of this, the decision of the Centre to delibrate on the matter and shift some of the designated camps of the Kuki-Zo groups to newer locations can be seen as a new development on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Centre has been holding talks with the SoO groups and a series of meetings were held with representatives of the United Peoples’ Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) between August 19 and 21.

There are an estimated 2200 cadres of the SoO groups living in the 14 designated camps.

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