UNLF faction declares no weapons surrender until solution for 'Manipur's sovereignty' is achieved

Acting chairman of the Pambei faction of ULNF, Moirangthem Nongyai, stated on Saturday that the peace agreement signed on Wednesday does not compromise its demand for the 'sovereignty of Manipur'. The clarification from the Pambei faction came after the Koireng faction of UNLF, believed to be stronger, alleged that the Pambei faction deviated from the 'political principle' of the UNLF by signing the peace pact.

Guwahati: Amid the Centre's claim that the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest insurgent group in Manipur, agreed to renounce violence by signing the peace agreement on Wednesday, November 29, the outfit has made it clear that it will not lay down its weapons until a solution regarding its demand for a "sovereign Manipur" is achieved.

Acting chairman of the Pambei faction of ULNF, Moirangthem Nongyai, stated on Saturday that the peace agreement signed on Wednesday does not compromise its demand for the "sovereignty of Manipur." "We are yet to join the mainstream, so we will not surrender the weapons until a solution is found," Nongyai said while addressing a function organized by the Manipur government at the historic Kangla fort in Imphal to felicitate the UNLF leaders and cadres who signed the agreement in New Delhi.

After the peace agreement was signed with the Pambei faction of UNLF, Home Minister Amit Shah termed it a historic development, stating that Manipur's oldest insurgent group had decided to renounce violence and join the mainstream. Shah also shared a video on social media showing UNLF cadres putting down their weapons in an undisclosed location.

The clarification from the Pambei faction came after the Koireng faction of UNLF, believed to be stronger, alleged that the Pambei faction deviated from the "political principle" of the UNLF by signing the peace pact. "The attempt of the India government to give the impression that by signing the peace talks agreement with the breakaway group of UNLF can only be described as ignorance of the dynamics of our national liberation struggle," read a statement issued by the Koireng faction on Saturday.

Established in 1964, the UNLF has been advocating for the "secession of Manipur" and opposes the Merger Agreement that Maharaja Bidhachandra Singh signed with India in 1949. The outfit, however, was divided into two factions. The Pambei faction is believed to be close to CM N Biren Singh.

The statement issued by the Koireng faction on Saturday, however, said it would carry forward the armed movement for "Independence till the last blood."

CM Biren Singh, who attended the function and felicitated the leaders and cadres of the Pambei faction, expressed gratitude to the UNLF leaders and cadres for accepting the Centre's proposal for peace. He mentioned that it took about three years to reach the peace agreement, which was signed on November 29.