Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand on Sunday said neither progress nor lasting peace can be achieved in the troubled state as long as a gun culture persisted, as he visited Sinai Camp, a designated camp of Suspension of Operation (SoO) militants in Kangpokpi district of Manipur, followed its taken over by security forces in a joint operation.
He directed the security personnel that “we are here to protect the lives and properties of the people. Manipur cannot progress or achieve lasting peace as long as a gun culture exists,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s secretariat.
The statement further continued that the camp was disarmed and taken over by the CRPF following a joint operation conducted by CRPF’s CoBRA unit, Manipur Police and other security agencies in the aftermath of he killing of three firewood collectors belonging to the Meitei community at Sunulok in Imphal East district of Manipur. The Sinai camp was the designated camp of the Kuki National Army (KNA) and Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), which are under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. This is the first-ever visit by a sitting Chief Minister to a designated camp under the SoO. The Chief Minister was accompanied by the Government Spokesperson and MLA of Heirok Assembly Constituency, Th. Radheshyam during the visit. The statement further stated that Khemchand Singh inspected the entire camp premises and was briefed by officers of the CRPF and Assam Rifles on the operations conducted and the prevailing law and order situation in the area. The pact aimed to cease hostilities, with the militant groups agreeing to completely stop any form of violence.
During the operation, 17 individuals impersonating registered SoO cadres using false identities were found only in the camp. The tripartite SoO pact with Kuki militants covering 25 outfits under two umbrella organisations, Kuki National Organisation (KNO) comprising 17 outfits and United People’s Front (UPF) comprising 8 outfits, was first signed on August 22, 2008 with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.
“The camp was supposed to house about 150 cadres,” said a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
