Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visits Sinai Camp in Kangpokpi after security forces take control.
IMPHAL — Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday visited Sinai Camp, a designated camp of Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement in Kangpokpi district, marking the first-ever visit by a sitting chief minister to a designated SoO camp in the state.
The visit comes two days after the camp was disarmed and taken over by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following joint operations conducted by the CRPF’s CoBRA unit, Manipur Police and other security agencies on October 23.
The operation was launched in the aftermath of the killing of three Meitei firewood collectors in the Khongbal Tangkhul area of Kangpokpi district on October 19.
During the operation, security personnel found only 17 individuals at the camp who were allegedly impersonating registered SoO cadres using false identities, despite the facility being designated to accommodate around 150 cadres.
Sinai Camp was designated for the Kuki National Army (KNA) and the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), which are covered under the SoO agreement.
The Centre and the Manipur government had signed the tripartite agreement with the two umbrella organisations of Kuki militant groups—the United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO)—in 2008.
During his visit, Khemchand, accompanied by government spokesperson and Heirok MLA Th Radheshyam, inspected the camp premises and received briefings from CRPF and Assam Rifles officers on the operation and the prevailing law and order situation in the area.
Interacting with security personnel, the chief minister commended the CRPF’s CoBRA Battalion for its courage and valour, particularly its leading role in the operation that resulted in the force taking control of the camp.
Khemchand stressed that adequate care must be taken during combing operations to ensure that innocent civilians are not affected. He directed security personnel to remain focused on protecting the lives and properties of the people.
Emphasising that Manipur could not progress or achieve lasting peace as long as gun culture persisted, he appealed to the people to shun violence, surrender illegal arms and join hands in restoring peace and harmony in the state.
The chief minister later interacted with civil society organisation (CSO) representatives and villagers in the area.
Those present during the visit included IG, CRPF (M&N) Sector, Homkar Amol Vinukant; Manipur Police IG Kamei Angam Romanus; DIG N Herojit Meetei; CRPF DIG Rajesh Kumar; Assam Rifles Colonel Radha Krishnan; the deputy commissioner of Kangpokpi district; the superintendents of police of Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts; and other senior officers.