Meitei Alliance Urges Termination of SoO Agreement in Manipur, Citing Lawlessness, Corruption, and Erosion of Constitutional Order

Citing financial irregularities, governance breakdown, and increasing ethnic polarisation, the Meitei Alliance presses Governor Bhalla to end the contentious pact with Kuki insurgents

KalimNews, July 31, 2025, Imphal :  In a decisive and strongly worded memorandum addressed to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the Meitei Alliance—a global consortium of nearly 50 Meitei civil society organisations—has urged the Government not to renew the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki insurgent groups in Manipur. The group argues that the framework, originally conceived to foster peace, has instead become a vehicle for parallel governance, systemic lawlessness, and constitutional violations.

The tripartite SoO agreement, signed with two dozen Kuki insurgent outfits under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), along with the Centre and the Manipur state government, was aimed at maintaining peace by placing armed groups in designated camps with their weapons under locked storage. However, according to the Meitei Alliance, the situation on the ground has dramatically deteriorated since the agreement’s inception, and especially after the recent ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023.

The Alliance, in its July 28 representation to the Governor, claimed that the SoO pact has not only failed to reduce violence but has emboldened insurgent groups to interfere in state affairs, manipulate public institutions, and divert funds meant for the public. It cited a July 23, 2025 investigative report by NDTV titled “Exclusive: Blank Papers, Multiple Credits – Manipur’s Multi-Crore Highway Compensation Mystery,” which uncovered large-scale financial irregularities involving highway-widening compensation in Kangpokpi district. The report alleged that funds intended for land and property rehabilitation, distributed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), were siphoned off by individuals linked to the Kuki National Front (KNF), a key signatory of the SoO.

According to allegations in the NDTV investigation and corroborated by multiple beneficiaries, compensation funds were reportedly diverted through a network of middlemen allegedly affiliated with SoO-protected groups. While village chiefs and the KNF leadership have denied accusations of coercion or financial misconduct, none have demanded an independent investigation or forensic audit. Crucially, eight individuals accused of facilitating the fund misdirection have not provided any public explanation regarding multiple high-value credits into their personal bank accounts.

The Meitei Alliance claims this scandal highlights how SoO-protected insurgents have extended their reach into civilian administration, turning a peace initiative into a mechanism of corruption and impunity. “Multiple compensation credits were allegedly routed to individuals connected to SoO-protected armed groups; the entire process lacked transparency and accountability, undermining the rule of law and public trust,” the memorandum said. It stressed that the unchecked continuation of this framework has obstructed governance, weakened institutions, and diverted vital state resources.

The memorandum presented three primary reasons against the renewal of the SoO agreement:

1. Constitutional Breach of State Authority – The Alliance pointed out that "law and order" is a state subject under the Indian Constitution. The continuation of the SoO pact without the consent of the elected state government constitutes an erosion of constitutional federalism, particularly significant given that Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 2024 following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

2. Breakdown of Governance and Public Trust – The Alliance emphasized that the pact has led to the undermining of public faith in both insurgent groups and the state machinery. With violence escalating since May 2023 and no mechanisms for transparency or accountability in place, the state's credibility is at an all-time low.

3. Social and Communal Fragmentation – According to the Meitei Alliance, the SoO framework has actively contributed to the ethnic militarisation of civil society. Rather than bridging divides, it has further entrenched ethnic polarisation and obstructed efforts towards inclusive peace.

This sentiment was echoed in the unanimous resolution passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on February 29, 2024—the day the SoO agreement lapsed—which called on the Centre to scrap the deal. Despite that clear political mandate, the agreement remains in political limbo amid President’s Rule.

The Alliance has appealed to the Governor, as the state’s constitutional head during President’s Rule, to terminate the SoO framework in its current form. It has called for strict legal action against signatory groups found to be in breach of the agreement and urged the restoration of democratic oversight and civilian control over law enforcement.

The 25 Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar groups that are party to the SoO are aligned under two umbrella bodies—the KNO, led by the Kuki National Army (KNA), and the UPF, headed by the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA). Notably, the KNF, accused in the highway compensation scandal, operates under the KNO umbrella.

So far, official sources have confirmed at least two violations of the SoO ground rules since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023. Despite this, enforcement actions or public disclosures remain minimal, a point of serious concern flagged by the Meitei Alliance.

As Manipur continues to reel under the impact of ethnic unrest, institutional fragility, and fractured civil trust, the Meitei Alliance has warned that renewing the SoO agreement without a fundamental overhaul will prolong instability and undermine democratic norms.

“The future of Manipur depends on a governance framework that upholds peace, accountability, and constitutional integrity — not one that rewards armed impunity,” the Alliance concluded in its statement.

With pressure mounting from civil society and no elected government in place, all attention now turns to Raj Bhavan. Governor Bhalla’s decision on the fate of the SoO agreement could prove pivotal in determining whether Manipur moves toward lasting peace or deeper instability.