On Thursday, the last day of the 1 week time given by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to armed groups in Manipur to surrender looted arms from state armouries, the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei organisation, came in a procession to surrender hundreds of guns.
#WATCH | Imphal | The members of 'Arambai Tengol'- a Meitei organisation, today surrendered their arms following their meeting with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Feb 25 pic.twitter.com/GUboHG3lui
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2025
The surrender took place on the grounds of the 1st Manipur Rifles (MR), with cadre of Arambai Tenggol arriving in trucks, including women members and supporters.
Arambai Tenggol puts certain conditions, seeks assurance that Kukis won’t attack Meiteis again
Arambai Tenggol had met Governor Ajay Bhalla on February 25, in which they agreed to surrender arms looted from the state government stores. The Arambai Tenggol, one of the larges Meitei organisations that has often been in conflict with the rival Kukis in the state, has stated that they have surrendered arms to the state wit the conditions that the State will ensure that there are no more attacks by Kukis on Meitei groups, and the State assures the protection of the lives and properties of Kukis.
In addition to asking security for Meiteis in the region, Arambai Tenggol is seeking a general amnesty for their members, including village volunteers, complete eradication of illegal poppy cultivations by Kuki groups, the completion of border fencing, and the implementation of NRC to identify illegal immigrants.
Additionally, Arambai Tenggol has stated that if the Kukis attack Meiteis again, resulting in the loss of civilian lives, they would take retaliatory action and the State should not try to restrain them at that time. The ST status for Meiteis, a controversial but long-standing demand from the Meiteis, was stressed again.
The demands were submitted in the form of a memorandum to the governor by the Arambai Tenggol. So far, there has been no official response on the demands from the government’s side.
A Short transcript of #ArambaiTengol spokesperson's Media interaction :#ArambaiTengol handedover the weapons after we came into an agreement with the Honorable Governor on the following points:
— Homer_Alt (@Gooner_Homer) February 27, 2025
1) The Governor assured us that NO Separate Administration would be granted to… pic.twitter.com/EI9obYAvLx
What are Kuki groups saying
The Kuki-Jo groups of ITLF and COTU have issued a joint statement dismissing the mass surrender of arms by Meiteis as a move to garner sympathy. “The surrender of 300 weapons today by Arambai Tenggol is a mere gesture. It accounts for only 5% of the total looted arms in the Imphal Valley. It is a strategic attempt to improve their public image after meeting the Governor. They are responsible for killing more than 230 Kuki-Jo people.”
Looted arms in Manipur
As per official records, over 6000 weapons have been looted from state armouries and police stations over the months. After the Governor’s appeal, many weapons are being surrendered. In addition to the surrender of over 230 weapons by the Arambai Tengol yesterday, an additional 87 weapons were surrendered by the public in places such as Churachandpur, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Toubal, Kangpokpi, Jiribam and Imphal West.
The state has been in turmoil since May 2023. Multiple incidents of weapons looting have been reported. Armed militants often have attacked police stations and armories storage facilities with grenade and AK-47S, setting fire to the premises and absconding with the weapons.
The armed conflict between Kuki-Jo and Meitei groups has been rampant in the state for nearly 2 years, killing hundreds of civilians and rendering thousands homeless.
Poppy plantations and illegal drug trade in Manipur
One of the main factors in the ethnic clashes between Kuki and Meitei groups has been the illegal, often violent capture of vast stretches of lands by predominantly Kuki groups and using it for illicit poppy farming. The networks of the drug trade stretches from Manipur to Myanmar and beyond. The former Biren Singh government in Manipur has been asserting that the drug trade is the centre of conflict, both driving it, funding it, and fuelling it from within.
Hundreds of acres of poppy plantations have been destroyed by the government with the help of civilian groups so far. The Arambai Tenggol says that it is against poppy cultivations and wants to see the plantations destroyed. Raids and destruction of poppy farming have been going on a serious level comparable with the recovery of arms.
Though the arms surrender and action on insurgent groups have been progressing, the situation in Manipur is still fragile, and volatile. There are plenty of arms and ammunitions in circulation, including sophisticated weapons. The border with Myanmar remains porous, and amid the drug trafficking and violence between the ethnic groups, a permanent peace still seems elusive, even with the state being under the President’s rule.
