Kuki-Zo Council Decides to Open National Highway-02, Paving Way for Peace in Manipur

New Delhi: In a significant development, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has decided to open National Highway-02 for the free movement of commuters and essential goods. This decision comes after a series of meetings between officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and a delegation of KZC in New Delhi.

KZC has decided to cooperating with security forces deployed by the Government of India to maintain peace along NH-02. This move is expected to bring relief to commuters and improve the overall situation in the region.

In a related development, a tripartite meeting between representatives of the MHA, Government of Manipur, and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) was held in New Delhi. The meeting concluded with the signing of a tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement, which will be effective for a period of one year.

The agreement reiterates the territorial integrity of Manipur and the need for a negotiated solution to bring lasting peace and stability to the state. The KNO and UPF have agreed to relocate seven designated camps away from areas vulnerable to conflict, reduce the number of designated camps, and relocate weapons to nearest CRPF/BSF camps.

The agreement also provides for stringent physical verification of cadres by security forces to de-list foreign nationals, if any. A Joint Monitoring Group will be set up to closely monitor the enforcement of ground rules, and any violations will be dealt with firmly, including a review of the SoO Agreement.

This development marks a significant step towards peace and stability in Manipur, and it is hoped that the agreement will bring lasting benefits to the people of the state.