Manipur chief secretary assures strict implementation of SoO ground rules

Manipur government will honour the agreement, said chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel on Friday while assuring that the renegotiated ground rules of the recent tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement signed with the Kuki militants will be strictly implemented.
On September 4, Kuki militants under the two umbrella groups – Kuki National Organization (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) signed a tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and Manipur government on re-negotiated terms and conditions (ground rules) to be effective from the day of signing of the agreement for a period of one year.
“The signed agreements will be honoured,” state chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel said, while adding that “the government effort is to bring normalcy in the state.”
Talking to the reporters on the sideline of the state level Teachers’ Day celebration in Imphal, Goel said “The agreement has already been signed. It will get implemented.”
Responding to queries from the reporters regarding Kuki-Zo Council’s reaction on the reopening of the national highways, the chief secretary said “Everything is on the papers.”
“Whatever agreement that has been signed will be honoured” Goel added.
Notably, the Union ministry of home affairs, in a release through the PIB New Delhi, stated that the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has decided to open the NH-02 for the free movement of commuters and essential goods while asserting that the decision came after a series of meetings between officials of MHA and a delegation of KZC in the last few days at New Delhi.
KZC has given commitment to cooperate with security forces deployed by GoI (Government of India) to maintain peace along NH-02. However, KZC, while clarifying the MHA statement, stated that the NH-02 has always remained open for commuters and essential goods transport and no question of reopening arises.
“The buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas would continue to be respected and should not be misconstrued as unrestricted free movement, it had stated.
Some Kuki based CSOs condemned the decision allegedly taken by KZC and some armed organizations reiterated that “Meiteis will not be allowed to enter Kuki areas.”