Manipur Peace Process: A Renewed SoO Pact Amidst Conflicting Aspirations
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance (President's Rule - Article 356, Sixth Schedule, Special provisions for states); Internal Security (Insurgency in Northeast, Peace Pacts); Geography (National Highways).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Polity & Governance): Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure; Government policies and interventions.
General Studies Paper 3 (Internal Security): Linkages between development and spread of extremism; Security challenges and their management in border areas; Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
Key Highlights from the News
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur government signed a renewed Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups.
Key provisions of the new agreement:
Foreign nationals in the insurgent groups will be identified and excluded.
The territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected.
A political settlement will be sought within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
In return, the Kuki-Zo Council agreed to open National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur), passing through Kangpokpi district, for traffic.
However, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei organization in Manipur, completely rejected this agreement.
COCOMI argues that since President's Rule is currently in effect in the state, the agreement signed in the absence of a democratically elected government lacks legal validity.
COCOMI also pointed out that on March 10, 2023, the elected Manipur government had decided to abrogate this SoO agreement.
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