Three Kuki youths killed in gunfight between rival groups in Manipur

• Three Kuki youths were killed in a gunfight in Manipur's Noney district, with Kuki Inpi Manipur blaming Naga militant groups

• Thousands of Meiteis, Nagas and Meitei Pangals rallied across Manipur, demanding SoO abrogation and the state government's resignation

• The developments underscore rising tensions over the SoO agreement and growing demands for security and rehabilitation of displaced people

Three people belonging to the Kuki community were killed in a gunfight between rival armed groups at Kekru Naga village in Manipur's Noney district on Saturday, triggering fresh concerns over the state's fragile security situation amid mounting tensions between indigenous communities.

According to police, the exchange of fire broke out on Saturday morning and continued for several hours in the forested hill village. Security measures have been taken in the area, officials said.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex body of the Kuki community, strongly condemned the killings and alleged that Naga militant groups were responsible. It demanded justice, accountability and immediate intervention by the state government.

The killings came as thousands of people from different indigenous communities, including Meiteis, Nagas and Meitei Pangals, staged rallies across Manipur, demanding the immediate abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, the resignation of the state government and an end to the prolonged ethnic violence.

The main mobilisation was organised in Imphal by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in collaboration with several Naga civil society organisations. Demonstrators marched from Tiddim Ground in Kwakeithel to THAU Ground, where a public meeting was held.

The protesters also demanded the withdrawal of Assam Rifles, protection of indigenous communities and their properties, and early rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). They further called for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), using 1951 as the base year, before the next Census.

Several Naga organisations, including the Joint Tribe Council Manipur, Naga Humanitarian Aids Committee, Foothill Naga Co-ordination Committee and Naga Peoples' Union, participated in the mobilisation. The United Naga Council (UNC) and All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) supported the agitation through simultaneous sit-in demonstrations in Naga-inhabited districts.

Similar protests were held in Chandel district, where Naga civil society groups demanded the resignation of deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen and termination of the SoO agreement.

Addressing the gathering, COCOMI convenor Y.K. Dhiren accused the state government of failing to protect indigenous communities and restore normalcy. Former convenor Khuraijam Athouba said repeated appeals to the state and Central governments to terminate the agreement had remained unaddressed.

The protests also come in the aftermath of an ambush on 14 Meitei men, in which three were killed, triggering widespread demonstrations and renewed demands for security and accountability.

The SoO agreement, signed in August 2008 between the Centre, the Manipur government and Kuki militant groups under the United People's Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), covers 23 underground outfits. These comprise eight groups under the UPF and 15 under the KNO, with 2,266 cadres reportedly staying in designated camps.

The agreement was intended to suspend hostilities and facilitate a negotiated political settlement. However, it has faced growing criticism over alleged violations of its ground rules, which require cadres to remain in designated camps, refrain from violence and keep their weapons under prescribed security arrangements.

Its term expired on 4 September without renewal, further intensifying demands for its abrogation.

The latest killings and protests underline the continuing security and political challenges in Manipur, where ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 continues to strain relations between communities and complicate efforts to restore lasting peace.

With agency inputs