Imphal: Two major Kuki-Zo organisations have clarified that the recent reopening of National Highway 2 should not be seen as approval for free movement across buffer zones separating Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas.
The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), which on Thursday renewed their Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the Manipur government, stressed that their stance on sensitive territorial issues remains unchanged.
Under the revised SoO terms, the groups have agreed to respect Manipur’s territorial integrity, relocate designated camps away from vulnerable locations, and work with all parties towards a durable peace settlement.
In a joint statement issued Friday, they noted that the tripartite dialogue has been reaffirmed as a “structured and time-bound process” aimed at restoring stability in the state.
Addressing speculation around NH-2, which connects Imphal to Dimapur through Kangpokpi district, the groups underlined that the Kuki-Zo community never blocked or shut down the highway.
They cautioned, however, that the opening of the route should not be misread as consent for unhindered cross-movement in buffer zones.
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Safeguarding the sanctity of these areas, they said, is the responsibility of the Government of India and its security forces deployed on the ground.
Calling on the media and public to avoid circulating misleading narratives, the KNO and UPF urged respect for the region’s complex political and security realities.
They also reiterated their commitment to the aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people, including their long-standing demand for a Union Territory with a legislature under the Indian Constitution.
