The spokesperson of an influential Kuki organisation in Manipur that represents 17 militant groups for holding peace talks with the Centre and the state government has condemned attempts by Meitei groups to prevent him from speaking at an event organised by Delhi University.<\/p>\n

Seilen Haokip, spokesperson of the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), told NDTV the KNO signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement in 2008 and has been in talks with the government of India.<\/p>\n

“We have been in talks with the government. Why can’t we talk to the public?” Mr Haokip told NDTV on Friday.<\/p>\n

The Delhi University Literature Festival 2025, sponsored by the FMCG conglomerate DS Group, listed Mr Haokip as one of the speakers at the event being held at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in north Delhi.<\/p>\n

A DS Group spokesperson told NDTV the literature festival organisers made the speakers’ list, and DS Group has no involvement in their selection.<\/p>\n

Calls to the press contact person of the literature festival went unanswered. Calls to the office of the Delhi University spokesperson Anoop Lather also went unanswered.<\/p>\n

Meitei bodies including the civil society organisation Meitei Heritage Society questioned the festival organisers over what they alleged was “allowing a representative of militant groups to speak at a reputed educational institution”.<\/p>\n

“… Cases of involvement<\/a> of KNO’s member militant groups are in the public domain, including statements by the police and security forces<\/a>. This not only disrespects the victims of the ongoing crisis but also sets a dangerous precedent of legitimising the voice of an organisation with a violent background,” the Meitei Heritage Society said in a statement on Friday.<\/p>\n

\n

We strongly condemn the participation of Mr. Seilen Haokip, spokesperson of the Kuki National Organization (KNO), the Kuki Militant group widely accused of involvement in the ongoing Manipur crisis, including acts of violence against Meitei civilians.<\/p>\n

Allowing a representative… pic.twitter.com\/Cq3aw36PZM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Meitei Heritage Society (@meiteiheritage) February 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis in Manipur have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation.<\/p>\n

Mr Haokip reiterated the KNO can speak to the public as it is not an anti-India organisation, and is already in talks with the government.<\/p>\n

“We are in a dialogue, the process is still going on. We live in a democracy and we are not secessionists, unlike other organisations. We want a political settlement within the Constitution of India,” he said.<\/p>\n

The KNO’s 17 armed groups including its largest member, Kuki National Army (KNA), had 1,059 militants till February 2024, the Manipur government said on July 31, 2024 in a written reply to a question on the SoO agreement asked by Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar Singh in the state assembly.<\/p>\n

“They [KNO member groups] are armed primarily not against Indian security forces or the government, but to protect themselves from the local environment which has been there for so many years. We do not engage in any kind of skirmish with Indian security forces at all,” Mr Haokip told NDTV.<\/p>\n

“The bottomline is the government is engaged with us in the suspension of operations [agreement], we are talking to them, and we can also talk to the people,” Mr Haokip said.<\/p>\n

Except for the United National Liberation Front (Pambei), or UNLF (P), all other Meitei militant groups are in the list of India’s banned organisations. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), or NSCN (K), and all its formations and front groups are also in the banned list, while the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) is in talks with the Centre.<\/p>\n

SoO Agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under the SoO agreement, the insurgents are to stay at designated camps and their weapons kept in locked storage, to be monitored regularly. They also get a stipend every month from the state government, meant for their rehabilitation. The SoO group’s representatives have accused the state government of withholding funds for long periods.<\/p>\n

The SoO agreement is reviewed every year for extension or termination by a joint monitoring group. The last review was in February 2024, after which the present status of the agreement remains unknown.<\/p>\n

The other umbrella body of eight militant groups in Manipur that signed the SoO agreement is the United People’s Front (UPF), led by the Zomi Revolutionary Army. The ZRA’s member groups had a total strength of 1,059 militants till February 2024, the Manipur government said in the same written reply during the assembly session on July 31, 2024.<\/p>\n

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