In a historic development, the Government of India and the Government of Manipur signed a Peace Agreement with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest valley-based Meitei armed group of Manipur in New Delhi today, 29 November. The UNLF was formed in 1964 and has been operating both within and outside Indian Territory.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi by senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Government of Manipur and representatives of the United National Liberation Front. The agreement is poised to give a fillip to usher in a new era of peace in the North East in general and Manipur in particular.
UNLF is currently banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and the ban was extended for five years earlier this month. The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) had been fighting a guerilla war for a sovereign Manipur, as it considers the merger of Manipur with India after independence illegal.
It is notable that after the end of British rule in 1947, Manipur gained independence separately and the state became a sovereign nation ruled by Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh with its own constitution. However, this only lasted 2 years and in 1949 Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh signed a Merger Agreement with the Union of India on 21 September 1949. According to the agreement, Manipur merged with India as a Part C State, becoming a centrally ruled territory, and the assembly was resolved. Manipur became a full state in 1972. Several groups in Manipur demand the merger agreement be reviewed and revoked.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah said that a historic milestone was achieved with this agreement. In his posts on ‘X’, the Home Minister said that it is a landmark achievement in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of all-inclusive development and providing a better future to the youths in Northeast India. Home Minister Shah further said that he welcomed UNLF to the democratic processes and wish them all the best in their journey on the path of peace and progress.
A historic milestone achieved!!!
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 29, 2023
Modi govt’s relentless efforts to establish permanent peace in the Northeast have added a new chapter of fulfilment as the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) signed a peace agreement, today in New Delhi.
UNLF, the oldest valley-based armed… pic.twitter.com/AiAHCRIavy
A statement issued by the home ministry said, “As per the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and under the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, the Government of India has signed agreements with several armed groups of the North East region since 2014 to end militancy and promote development.”
The statement added that while political settlements have been finalised with several ethnic armed groups of the North East as part of conflict resolution initiatives of Government of India, it is for the first time a valley-based Manipuri armed group has agreed to return to mainstream by abjuring violence and agreeing to honour the Constitution of India and laws of the land.
MHA said that the agreement will not only bring an end to hostilities between UNLF and security forces which have claimed precious lives on both sides over the last more than half a century but also provide an opportunity to address the longstanding concerns of the community. It is hoped that the return of UNLF to the mainstream will also encourage other valley-based armed groups to participate in the peace process in due course.
The statement further stated that a Peace Monitoring Committee (PMC) will be constituted to oversee enforcement of the agreed ground rules. The development is likely to be a significant step in restoring peace and normalcy in the State.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for making efforts to bring peace in the state. “Efforts for peace talks were being made for years but without any success. This signing happened today under the leadership of PM Modi. I congratulate the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who worked hard to bring peace,” the Chief Minister said.
Singh appreciated the members of UNLF and hoped that militants in the state would choose the path of peace.
“The cadres of UNLF agreed to follow the path of peace, I appreciate the members for this. I hope that the militants in the state and those who take up arms also choose path of peace,” the Chief Minister said.
Biren Singh said that the peace agreement was a result of the confidence Bharatiya Janata Party built in the northeast. “This is a result of the confidence BJP built in the northeast and the care it showed there. The change that happened in the northeast, especially Manipur, after PM Modi came to power…seeing that confidence all of this is happening…”
The recent development of the United National Liberation Front signing a peace agreement is a testament to the relentless efforts of the BJP Government in bringing peace and development in the North-East states and Manipur.
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) November 29, 2023
As the UNLF negotiated a settlement and renounced… pic.twitter.com/4Qp2hLVIme
“As the UNLF negotiated a settlement and renounced violence, I expressed my appreciation for their decision to engage in “peace talks”. I welcome the UNLF group to the democratic processes and extend my best wishes for their journey on the path of peace and progress,” the CM said in a Tweet.
