Action Against Militant Outfits if They Violate Ground Rules

Imphal, Jul 21 : Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh today said action would be taken against any Kuki militant outfit which signed the Suspension of Operation (SOO) agreement with the government if they violated ground rules. Replying to a calling attention motion in the assembly, Singh said the government took

the initiative to sign the SOO with some Kuki militant outfits to bring peace in the region.

Moving the calling attention senior Manipur People's Party member R K Anand said the Kuki National Army (KNA) which signed the SOO with the government was trying to arrest members of Meitei Council Moreh (MCM) at the border town of Moreh.

He asked how could KNA, a Myanmar-based militant outfit which was trying to create ethnic tension in the border town of Moreh, sign the SOO with the government.

Singh said in reply that a member of Kuki community was 'detained' by a Manipur insurgent outfit and this was the origin of the problems in Moreh which witnessed bandhs called by the MCM some days ago.

The chief minister said the member of the Kuki community was now free and all issues settled although the police registered an FIR in connection with the incident.

Official sources said the security forces had suspended operations against some Kuki militant outfits operating in the region some months ago after they signed the SOO agreement.

The KNA's main demand was to form a separate Kukiland state by integrating Kuki-inhabited areas of Manipur and Myanmar.

Most Kuki outfits which signed SOO with the government were also demanding formation of Kukiland by breaking up Manipur, the sources said.

The chief minister said all issues including alleged violation of ground rules would be discussed on July 31 among the state government, security agencies and militant outfits.