Well and good the government of Manipur is taking the issue of SoO cadre with extreme seriousness as this problem may be considered as other ticking time bomb which have the tendency to blast some day. Dr. Soibam Ibocha , the IPS officer who had recently retired from the post of IGP (ADM) of the state police force has been appointed as the representative of the state government to engage with the Government of India and the Central Government Representative/ interlocutor for the ongoing peace talks with the various outfits which were undergoing peace talk by suspension of operation .
After NSCN-IM signed cease fire pack to begin political dialogue with the Government in August 1 , 1997, another moved to control the mushrooming armed rebel group in the state entered peace pack with the government of India under the initiative of the than government in September 2013. Earlier the NSCN-K have also entered to the peace pack but abrogated in 2015 for reason which is not clear.
When Government of Manipur signed peace deal with the Kuki armed rebel group of various kind it was stated that the outfit will have no interest to the segregation of the state territorial boundary, but recent day proposal from the two conglomerate body leadership during talk at New Delhi had time and again diverted the agreed proposal of the government side regarding the sensitive issue of the territorial boundary of the state. The KUki Rebel group are now engaging talk under two umbrella body called the Kuki National Organisation (KN0) and the Unite Peoples’ Front (UPF).
As per government report, KNO comprises of seven armed rebel group, while the UPF is comprised of 6 armed rebel groups.
Government has allotted these rebel groups which had signed to establish designated 4 designated camps at Churancgandpur district, two at Kangpokpi district and one at Tengnoupal district for the KNO. Total cadre as per official report is 1122.
As for the UP govt. allowed the rebel group to establish 2 designated camp at Pherijawl district , one at Churachandpur district, one at Chandel district, two at Kangpokpi district. Official report said tha total cadre of the UPF is 1059.
There are also other UGs group who had entered for peace talk but not yet started any such talk as the mode of entering the negotiation is more like a surrender to lead a normal life without any political commitment . As per source with this newspaper as many as 472 cadres of various rebel groups who had come out from KCP(KK) , UTLA (SK) KCP (NK) KYKY (MDF), KCP (City), URF etc. at the moment they are now kept at various camp of Assam Riffles troopers.
Appointment of DR. Ibocha , a retired IGP Soibam Ibocha is perhaps a right decision which the government of Manipur should have thought of a long time back. “ It is better late than never” , the experience of the officer will certainly deal using his year long experience to make sure that no disturbances come to the government of Manipur during the course of peace talk which had already begin at New Delhi.
But what is more worrisome in the Surrendered cadre who had come out the main stream but left with no choice other than staying to their respective allotted security force camps.
On the other hand , one thing which is known by everyone on the kind of extortion crime committee by the UGs who has signed SoO pack along the National Highway as along as at some area which are under their control, have to remain quite due to fear. Negotiation, political dialogue with the UGs is the need of the hour and while doing so it is mandatory that the kind of excess and violation of ground rules by the UGs be checked to assure that the peace talk and cease fire or suspension of operation is for the people and the nation.
Imphal Times have high hope that IPS Soibam Ibocha , (Retd. IGP) will bring a better Manipur in the coming days by using all his wisdom in settling the aged old issue.
