IMPHAL | The Meitei Alliance has urged the Manipur government to conduct security operations at all 14 designated Suspension of Operations (SoO) camps housing cadres of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF), following a joint raid at a camp in Kangpokpi district that reportedly led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

The demand follows an operation conducted at the Sinai SoO camp on October 23 by Manipur Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and CoBRA commandos. The organisation has called on the state government and the Director General of Police (DGP) to extend similar operations to the remaining designated camps.

According to details cited in the Meitei Alliance’s statement, security personnel detained 17 people suspected of posing as registered cadres. The operation also reportedly revealed that 158 of the camp’s 159 registered cadres were absent, with only one authorised cadre present at the site.

Security forces recovered 24 firearms, 38 magazines, ammunition and explosives during the raid, the organisation said. The CRPF subsequently took complete control of the camp, according to the report published by Northeast Now. However, details regarding the whereabouts of the absent cadres and the specific allegations against the 17 detained individuals were not immediately available.

Alliance backs police action

In its statement, the Meitei Alliance praised the state government and the police leadership for conducting the operation, describing it as an important step towards restoring the rule of law in Manipur.

The organisation said the state had endured nearly three and a half years of violence, displacement and loss of life. It alleged that armed groups operating under the SoO arrangement had enjoyed prolonged impunity and called for stronger enforcement of the law.

The demand comes amid continuing concerns over security following the killing of three Meitei civilians on October 19. According to the report, the victims were reportedly gathering firewood when they were attacked.

The alliance argued that effective law enforcement was essential to rebuilding public confidence and improving the sense of security among internally displaced people living in relief camps.

Calls for operations at all designated camps

The Meitei Alliance has urged the state government and the DGP to conduct security operations at all 14 SoO camps, arguing that preventive action should not be delayed until further civilian casualties occur.

The organisation has also called for armed groups to be disarmed and those responsible for violence to be prosecuted. It said these measures were necessary to establish lasting peace and restore public confidence in the administration.

The alliance further alleged that armed intimidation had restricted freedom of expression and hindered reconciliation between communities. It expressed hope that sustained government action would help address these concerns and create conditions for peace.

Implementation and accountability remain key concerns

The raid at the Sinai camp has brought renewed attention to the monitoring of designated SoO camps, compliance with the terms of the arrangement and the presence of registered cadres at these facilities.

The Meitei Alliance’s demand for operations at all 14 camps reflects its position that security checks should be extended across the designated network rather than limited to individual locations.

However, further details about the investigation, the legal status of those detained and any subsequent action against the individuals concerned remain awaited. No official schedule for additional operations at the remaining camps has been announced in the report.

The developments are likely to keep the enforcement of the SoO arrangement, civilian security and inter-community reconciliation at the centre of discussions on restoring peace in Manipur.