CAMP EBENEZER (MANIPUR), Aug 17 � The United Peoples� Front (UPF) consisting of six Kuki militant groups which are presently having Supension of Operation (SoO) with the Centre and Manipur Government is looking for a �meaningful political settlement� in the near future.
�We hope that the forthcoming SoO extension meeting will be a meaningful one,� said Convenor L Sanga Hmar of Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) of the UPF. �We are looking for a meaningful political settlement.�
Expecting a positive response from the government, JMG�s Jacob said, �In this fifth extension let there a meaningful political dialogue and we can go ahead� (to bring an amicable solution).
JMG convenor and key functionary of Hmar People�s Convention(D) Sanga was speaking to the media here at UPF�s constituent armed group Kuki National Front (KNF)�s designated camp Ebenezer, about 35 km north of Imphal in Senapati district in the presence of representatives of all the six constituent armed groups excluding Kuki Revolutionary Army on Tuesday. The other constituents are Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), Zomi Defence Volunteer and United Kuki Liberation Front.
More than a dozen Kuki militants groups under the banner of UPF and Kuki National Organisation have signed SoO with the Government of Manipur and Centre since August, 2005 and the SoO has been extended following regular annual tripartite talks by establishing as many as five designated camps to house the militants.
After the expiry of the ongoing SoO period in the current month, the officials of the State, Centre and militant groups will be meeting soon in New Delhi to take a decision for the fifth extension.
�The SoO extension is coming shortly and UPF hope that the forthcoming extension will be a very meaningful one� Sanga added. �We have also submitted our charter of demands to the concerned authorities.�
�Our demand is a State within a State under the Constitution of India,� said Sanga when asked of their demands.
Elaborating the demand of State within a State, another functionary of UPF and leader of ZRA Calvin said,�In case of UPF, we are demanding autonomous tribal State within the State boundary without breaking the territorial integrity. It is a separate administration of tribals within the boundary.�
