Manipur’s extremist group UNLF signs peace agreement, the 6-decade-long armed movement ends
The United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a banned extremist group operating in Manipur, on Wednesday, signed a peace agreement with the Government of India and the State government and agreed to renounce violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced here. The UNLF is the oldest Imphal valley-based armed group in Manipur, dominated by the majority of the Meitei community.
“A historic milestone achieved!!! Modi government’s relentless efforts to establish permanent peace in the Northeast have added a new chapter of fulfillment as the United National Liberation Front signed a peace agreement today in New Delhi.
“UNLF, the oldest valley-based armed group of Manipur, has agreed to renounce violence and join the mainstream. I welcome them to the democratic processes and wish them all the best in their journey on the path of peace and progress,” Shah said in a post on X.
The peace agreement signed today with the UNLF by the Government of India and the Government of Manipur marks the end of a six-decade-long armed movement.
It is a landmark achievement in realising PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of all-inclusive development and providing a better… pic.twitter.com/P2TUyfNqq1
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 29, 2023
The peace agreement with the UNLF by the Government of India and the Government of Manipur marks the end of a six-decade-long armed movement, Shah said. “It is a landmark achievement in realizing PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of all-inclusive development and providing a better future to the youths in Northeast India,” he said.
The development comes days after the ban on the group under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was extended for five years earlier this month. Representatives of the UNLF signed the agreement here with senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Manipur government, said Union Home Ministry Spokesperson.
While political settlements have been finalized with several ethnic armed groups of the Northeast as part of conflict resolution initiatives of the Centre, it is for the first time a valley-based Manipuri armed group has agreed to return to the mainstream by abjuring violence and agreeing to honour the Constitution of India and laws of the land.
The agreement will not only bring an end to hostilities between UNLF and security forces which have claimed precious lives on both sides over the last more than half a century but also provide an opportunity to address the longstanding concerns of the community, the spokesperson said. Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes between the Meitei and tribal Kuki communities since May resulting in the death of over 180 people.
A peace monitoring committee will be constituted to oversee the enforcement of the agreed ground rules. The development is likely to be a significant step in restoring peace and normalcy in the state. It is hoped that the return of UNLF to the mainstream will also encourage other valley-based armed groups to participate in the peace process in due course.
The UNLF was formed in 1964 and has been operating from both within and outside Indian territory.
The Centre has signed agreements with several armed groups of the Northeast since 2014 to end militancy and promote development. The Centre has also continued Suspension of Operations (SoO) with 21 Kuki-dominated groups to ensure that peace is established in hilly regions of Manipur. This agreement was signed in 2008.
The Manipur government had announced unilateral withdrawal from the SoO in March against two Kuki-dominated insurgent groups alleging that they were involved in encroaching on forest land. However, the Centre did not endorse it.
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
- Supreme Court rejects plea to tally all VVPAT slips with EVM votes; says ‘no going back to paper ballot’ - April 26, 2024
- US report citing human rights violations is deeply biased: India - April 25, 2024
- Kotak Mahindra Bank shares tank 13%. Market Cap erodes by Rs.37,721 cr post-RBI action - April 25, 2024
Good development & one of the long steps for peace in that area.