Governor appeals to militants to lay down arms in Manipur

Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat today appealed to militants operating in the state to shun violence and participate in the peace process so that development work could be speeded up.
Addressing the state assembly, the governor said three insurgent groups -- United Revolutionary Front (URF), Kangleipak Communist Party-Lamphel (KCP-L) and Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup--Military Defence Force (KYKL-MDF) -- have entered into agreements with the union and state governments.
He said that 197 cadres of these outfits 'joined the home-coming ceremony' with 138 weapons recently.
The governor said the state government with the union government has signed the extension of suspension of operations (SOO) agreement with Kuki outfit, United People's Front (UPF) and offered to sign a similar agreement with another Kuki outfit, Kuki National Organisation(KNO).

Jagat appealed to the KNO to come forward and sign the SOO agreement along the lines of UPF and asked the social Kuki organisation, Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC), demanding a separate Kukiland, to desist from calling frequent bandhs and blockades which affected the common man.
Official sources said peace talks with URF, KYKL-MDF AND KCP-L would begin soon since the three had signed agreements with the government under which the forces would suspend operations against them.
They said both central and state government forces had stopped operations against UPF since it signed the agreement with the government some years ago. Talks for a settlement with the outfit, demanding creation of Kukiland, has already begun.