UPF (Zomi) Declines Participation in SoO Talks, Cites Internal Kuki Rift and Zomi Unity Resolution

Tuithaphai, June 9, 2025: The United People’s Front (UPF-Zomi), a key signatory under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) framework, has formally communicated its decision to withdraw from the SoO meeting scheduled for June 9, 2025, in New Delhi. In a letter addressed to A.K. Mishra, Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the group cited concerns over internal rifts among Kuki SoO groups and reaffirmed its commitment to a unified Zomi-led peace roadmap.

File Photo: Pu Ketheos Zomi

The letter, signed by UPF talks delegate Ketheos Zomi, outlined seven key reasons for its non-participation. Foremost among them was the recent adoption of a unified political resolution by Zomi civil society organisations, which the UPF said clearly defines the community’s political objectives and demands. The group expressed its intent to align all future actions with this resolution and avoid platforms that could compromise the clarity of its stand.

UPF further stated that attending the SoO meeting alongside Kuki SoO groups would be "neither constructive nor necessary" at this juncture. The letter pointed to growing distrust and disconnect between Kuki SoO groups and their own civil society organisations (CSOs), highlighting allegations of lack of transparency and grassroots engagement by Kuki leaders. The UPF noted that some within the Kuki community have criticised their representatives for not having actively participated in past movements, warning that such divisions could undermine the peace process.

"Given this delicate situation, our presence might be wrongly perceived by the Kuki public as aligning with or endorsing a particular faction," the UPF stated, adding that it wished to avoid any interference-real or perceived - in what it sees as an internal conflict within the Kuki community.

Despite its withdrawal from the June 9 meeting, the UPF reaffirmed its commitment to the Government of India’s peace roadmap and expressed willingness to participate in future talks, particularly when Zomi CSOs are formally integrated into the dialogue framework. The group also expressed full cooperation with the government’s efforts to conclude the peace process within the proposed timeline of June -July 2025.

The UPF stressed that future participation must be grounded in its internal consensus and unified approach, and urged the Centre to consider inputs from Zomi stakeholders separately.

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The development comes at a time when peace efforts in Manipur remain fragile, with deepening divisions not only between ethnic groups but also within the Kuki-Zo umbrella itself. The absence of UPF from the current round of talks may further complicate efforts to build a cohesive and inclusive resolution to the prolonged conflict in the region.