The Manipur government is set to construct two camps at a cost of Rs 11 crore to accommodate 416 cadres of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest armed Meitei insurgent group that signed a peace agreement with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur government on November 29, 2023, The Hindu reported.
The group, which operates largely from Myanmar, has been advocating for the secession of Manipur. The Manipur Police Housing Corporation Limited issued two tenders on February 12 for the “construction of infrastructure for the proposed peace Camps at Ingourok in Thoubal district and Kakching Khunou in Kakching district for the accommodation of UNLF cadres (Under Peace Agreement).”
One tender involves the construction of pre-fabricated infrastructure for 285 cadres at Kakching, with an estimated cost of Rs 3.45 crore.
The other tender includes the construction of semi-pucca buildings for 115 cadres and “conventional semi-pucca buildings for 16 ranking cadres” at a cost of Rs 7.72 crore. The expenses will be covered under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE), reimbursed by the MHA.
A Manipur Police officer stated that the UNLF cadres are currently housed in temporary accommodations at Yathibi Lokoun on the Thoubal-Kakching district border and Nongshun in Imphal East, where space is limited.
As per the ground rules of the peace agreement, the UNLF has committed to honoring the Constitution of India and abiding by the law. The agreement mandates that cadres stay in designated camps under the monitoring of central security forces.
Nine militants arrested
Meanwhile, security forces arrested nine militants from different proscribed outfits in Imphal East and Thoubal districts, police said on Saturday.
According to The Times of India, four active members of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Noyon), allegedly involved in kidnapping and extortion, were arrested in the Chingdompok area of Thoubal district on Friday.
In another operation, security forces apprehended four active members of KCP (PWG) linked to extortion activities from Khabeisoi in Imphal East on Friday.
Additionally, police arrested one active member of UNLF (Pambei) from Nungoi Awang Leikai in Imphal East on Friday.