IMPHAL, June 5: The Kuki National Liberation Front, KNLF armed wing of the Kuki National Organisation, a signatory of the tripartite Suspension of Operation agreement with both the Centre and the State had never broken the SoO ground rules since signing it on September 9, 2013. No group should try to disturb the peace process of the outfit and create tension.
This was stated by KNLF general secretary Tonglenlal Haokip alias Lalmoi during a press conference somewhere in Chandel district.
He said Kuki Chiefs Association, KCA, Chandel District, Kuki Peoples’ Forum, KPF, Chandel Thadou Students’ Association/Chandel, Kuki Women for Human Rights, United Zou Organisation, UZO and other Kuki civil society organisations have been wrongly pressuring for the shifting of the KNLF’s designated camp at Khengjoy sub-division.
The development is unfortunate not only for the KNLF but for the entire Kuki society, he asserted before adding that there is an agreement against involvement of civil bodies of the Kuki Society during the signing of SoO agreement.
Lalmoi said the Kuki civil bodies are not making their own statements, but the United Kuki Liberation Front, UKLF in trying to stay alone in Chandel district had forced the leaders of the organisations to sign on the statements they had already written.
It is learnt that such acts have been deliberately carried out by leaders of UKLF including Khupmang, JM Thadou, Ngamcha, Sonminthang, Kennedy and its Joint Monitoring Group member, Jacob, he alleged.
He continued, the KNLF is a peace loving SoO signatory, however, this doesn’t mean that the unarmed 40 KNLF cadres at the Semol Designated camp have surrendered.
The cadres have been staying peacefully with the neighbouring villagers with the approval of the DGP, Manipur and IGAR (S), he said and added at present, the camp is being guarded by 26 Sector Assam Rifles and 6 Dogra regiment for which the KNLF is grateful to the DGP and IGAR (S).
Elaborating on accusations that the cadres present at the Semol designated camp are imposters, he said the cadres are all approved after verification by the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and Intelligence Department of the government of Manipur.
Further declaring the charges as baseless and void, he said the cadres all received stipends every six months.
The Kuki Peoples’ Forum is not a civil organisation of the Kuki society, he said before alleging that it was formed by the UKLF for its own use, which is to misguide the public.
The KNLF has no faction till date, however, before its signing the SoO agreement, 13 cadres of the outfit had surrendered before the 6 Dogra Regiment along with nine arms, he said.