Suspension of Operations signatories, including KLA home secretary, were attacked on July 13.
The Manipur government has convened a high level meeting to look into
the growing insecurity among the former insurgents, now in designated
camps following the signing of the Suspension of Operations agreement,
and the alleged mismanagement of the rehabilitation money due to them.
The meeting in Imphal, under the instructions of the Union Home
Ministry, was attended by J. Sureshbabu, principal secretary (Home), L.
M. Khoute, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) officers
from Assam Rifles, state and central intelligence agencies.
Sixteen tirbal underground organisations in Manipur had signed the
Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the Union government and the Manipur
government on August 22, 2008 after which they came over-ground. Two
more non-tribal outfits had also come over-ground later. Apart from the
fact that the Union government has not started political dialogue with
these outfits, there have been allegations of attempted extortion by
some outfits, arrest of some leaders who are in the peace camps and
misappropriation of rehabilitation money by one leader.
The meeting took a serious view of the gunning down of Seikhopao
Khongsai, Home Secretary of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), a signatory to
the SoO on July 13 evening. His two-year-old daughter and another boy
were also killed. The killing has sent a grim message to other SoO
signatories that they are not safe in the camps while a peaceful
settlement remains elusive.
Meanwhile, members of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council),
Lallumba group, charged their president, Lallumba, with
misappropriating Rs. 1.92 crore meant for their rehabilitation and
fleeing the camp. Though Manipur's Home Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei gave
a clean chit to Mr Lallumba, saying that he had not swindled the money
and was in hospital after an accident, the representatives retorted
saying that Mr Lallumba was not in any hospital and the money had been
withdrawn from the bank. Mr Gangmei has not issued a rejoinder.
