Thousands of Meiteis and Nagas march in Manipur to abrogate the SoO pact, demand strict action against Militant outfits

Imphal, Oct 31: In a powerful display of civil unity, thousands of citizens from the Meitei and Naga communities took to the streets of Manipur capital Imphal today (Oct 31), demanding immediate, decisive intervention from both the state and Central governments to safeguard the strategic borders of Northeast India. Organized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) alongside several Naga civil society groups, the massive rally underscored growing public frustration over the prolonged security crisis.

 

 

 

 

The primary demand of the massive gathering is the formal abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups. While the pact's official timeline lapsed on Sep 4 this year, without an extension, civil bodies presented evidence alleging that armed cadres have continuously violated the ceasefire terms, using the framework as a shield to launch territorial attacks on indigenous villages and disrupt national security.

 

 

 

Demonstrators also explicitly expressed deep lack of faith in the Assam Rifles, demanding their replacement by neutral Central forces. The community groups allege that the paramilitary force has failed to decisively neutralize insurgent threats, leaving vulnerable border areas exposed to cross-border narco-terrorism and external actors looking to exploit ethnic fault lines.

 

 

 

 

 

Marching toward the state capital's administrative hub, the protestors directly challenged the state administration, calling for absolute accountability and the immediate resettlement of tens of thousands of indigenous families displaced since May 2023. People of Manipur have demanded the complete restoration of law and order, elimination of illegal armed factions, and a zero-tolerance policy against any forces threatening the territorial integrity of the Indian Union.