Centre Pushes for Lasting Peace as Kuki-Zo Deal Takes Shape.

New Delhi has taken a significant step toward healing the wounds of Manipur’s ethnic strife with the signing of a renewed peace agreement with Kuki-Zo groups. The move, coming after months of careful negotiations, signals hope for a state that has been torn apart by violence since May 2023 witnessing over 260 deaths and around 62,000 people displaced, living in relief camps.The Centre, along with the Manipur government, signed a fresh Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with 24 insurgent groups under the Kuki National Organisation and the United People’s Front in early September. This agreement is different from the previous attempts due to its stricter framework and clearer roadmap for peace.The immediate impacts include the reopening of National Highway-2, connecting Imphal with the rest of the country which remained largely blocked for nearly two years, choking the supply of essential goods to the valley. The Kuki-Zo Council’s decision to allow free movement along this highway has already brought some relief to ordinary people struggling with shortages.Under the new arrangement, insurgent camps will be relocated away from sensitive areas. Weapons are to be stored in facilities run by central forces like the CRPF and BSF, rather than in insurgent-controlled camps and a Joint Monitoring Group will keep watch over compliance, verifying the lists of members and ensuring that no foreigners are staying there.But challenges still remain as trust between communities is fragile. Many Meiteis view the Kuki groups with suspicion, particularly after accusations that some (SoO) members played a role in the 2023 violence . Furthermore, the influential Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity has already rejected the pact, reflecting concerns among the majority community.However, the agreement commits all parties to uphold Manipur’s territorial integrity while working toward what officials call “a negotiated political settlement within the Constitution of India.”