Inform us before conducting ops in state: Manipur CM to Central security forces

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has asked Central security agencies to inform the state before conducting any operations in the state so that the delicate peace in the region could be maintained.

He was responding to questions from reporters on the sidelines of a function about the arrest of three members from the Pambei faction of the banned United National Liberation Front (UNLF) by security agencies on Wednesday.

Stating that he was trying to ascertain the ''exact reasons'' for the action, Singh said ''we don't know the exact reasons for their arrest. We were told that the arrest was due to their involvement in outside areas''. He, however, did not clarify what he meant by ''outside areas.'' Singh's remarks indicated a plea for the release of the detained members if found innocent to ensure the seamless continuation of peace dialogues.

He also stressed on the importance of receiving prior information from the Centre regarding any future arrests to uphold the integrity of the peace talks, which had been established through rigorous efforts over the past few years.

''I have conveyed to the Centre to provide prior information to the state if there is to be any arrest in the future as the peace talks had materialised with much hardship over a course of two/three years,'' Singh said on Thursday, underscoring the importance of adherence to ground rules and the necessity for further discussions between central leaders and the state.

The arrested UNLF (P) members, including self-styled army of chief of outfit Thokchom Thoiba, self-styled Int chief Laimayum Ingba, and Landaba, were picked up in a joint operation by Manipur police, the National Investigation Agency along with the CRPF on Wednesday.

The three were whisked out of the state following their arrest for a detailed interrogation by central security forces and officials alleged that they were involved in widespread extortion and planning to attack police lines for looting weapons.

Though the arrested members are part of a group that had previously engaged in peace talks with the central government after signing a ceasefire agreement in November the previous year, officials said that the self-styled army chief never participated in the parleys with the central government.

The UNLF(P), under the leadership of Kh Pambei, had made strides towards peace by becoming the first Meitei armed group in the Imphal valley to engage in a ceasefire agreement with the government on November 29, 2023, marking a pivotal moment in the region's efforts to renounce violence and pursue reconciliation.

However, these peace talks seem to have remained confined to paper only as the state government has not finalised the rules of surrender and depositing of weapons by the banned terror group so far, the officials said.

On the contrary, after the ceasefire agreement was announced, the cadres of the banned terror outfit were openly seen with automatic weapons in public. Ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis have resulted in the loss of 219 lives in Manipur since May last year.

Established in 1964, the UNLF has been active both within and outside the Indian territory. Since 2014, the BJP-led Centre has signed agreements with several armed groups in the northeast to quell militancy and foster development in the region.

Additionally, a Suspension of Operations (SoO) with 21 Kuki-dominated groups has been in place since 2008 to ensure peace in Manipur's hilly regions. The Manipur government's unilateral withdrawal from the SoO in March due to allegations of encroachment on forest land by two Kuki-dominated insurgent groups has not been endorsed by the Centre.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)