KNO, UPF Deny Reports of Revised SoO Agreement

The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF) have rejected reports claiming that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Manipur government and Kuki-Zo groups have signed a revised Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.

The clarification came after a report published by Northeast Now on August 9, 2026, under the headline, “MHA, Manipur government and Kuki-Zo groups sign revised SoO agreement.”

In a statement, the KNO and UPF said the MHA and the SoO groups had extended the peace agreement on September 4, 2025, and asserted that no further meeting had taken place regarding the agreement since then.

The groups described the reported signing of a revised agreement as “fake news” and criticised what they termed the publication of unverified information by certain media organisations.

“Readers are urged to be most circumspect and not be swayed by such illicit news items,” the statement said, adding that the SoO groups would continue to issue press statements directly and transparently on matters concerning the peace process.

Dispute over ‘territorial integrity’ clause

The statement also addressed the contentious issue of “territorial integrity,” arguing that assertions of territorial integrity other than that of the Union of India are unconstitutional.

The KNO and UPF recalled that the tripartite SoO agreement was signed in 2008 between the Government of India, KNO-UPF and the Government of Manipur. According to the groups, a reference to territorial integrity was included in the preamble at the insistence of the then Manipur government.

The groups maintained that, at the time of the agreement in 2008—before the violence that began on May 3, 2023—the clause had no legal purpose beyond appeasing the majority community. They further argued that their political demand for a Territorial Council was compatible with preserving the territorial integrity of Manipur.

The KNO and UPF expressed regret over what they described as the “unnecessary commotion” caused by the report and reiterated that official developments concerning the SoO process would be communicated through their own press statements.