Manipur may come out of SoO if militants break rules: CM

Imphal: Manipur government would withdraw from the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement signed with militant outfits and the Centre, if the militants violate ground rules, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said.

Biren’s statement came after an opposition MLA urged him in the Assembly to give a statement on the killing of a school girl at the Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh on Sunday.

Biren said the government received a report that the school girl was shot dead inside her home allegedly by a militant belonging to Kuki National Army (KNA).

The matter was intimated to the Centre for taking action, the chief minister said yesterday.

The SoO was signed by the Centre, Manipur government and two conglomerates of Kuki militant outfits – Kuki National Organisations and United Peoples Front. The pact was first signed in 2008 and extended periodically.

KNA belongs to one of the conglomerates.

Two months ago, the Manipur chief minister had said that the SoO was a ‘failure’ as security forces were ‘not serious’ in their undertakings, and had expressed concern over frequent violation of SoO conditions by militants.

Many of the militants who are part of SoO roam at their will and do not stay in their designated camps, thus violating the conditions, Biren had said.