Imphal, December 19 2008: KNO AND UPF today jointly insisted government to release financial package which government has to provide to the Kuki based militant outfits under the Suspension of Operation Agreement as another rounds of Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) was held today at the banquet hall of the 1st Manipur Rifles.

In what could be said a milestone towards easing the differences between the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People Front (UPF) who signed the trilateral SoO agreement separately with state and Central government took part together in the JMG meeting even though separate meetings were held in the pass two such meetings.

KNO and UPF are the umbrella organizations representing 19 different Kuki based militants outfits which are maintaining ceased fired with the security forces after signing SoO agreement separately in August this year.

KNO is an umbrella organization of eight militants group while UPF is for the remaining outfits.

Due to differences, the two bodies signed the SoO agreement separately the tripartite agreement with the representatives of Central and state government at New Delhi.

Meetings with the officials of JMG had also held separately.

However, in today's JMG meeting, representatives of both the bodies sit together on one side while the officials of the state government and MHA taking part in the meeting on other side and reviewed the progress of the implementation of the ground rules agreed.

The meeting reviewed the progress of the survey for the site selection for opening the designated camps and construction of the designated camps at the approved sites, official source said adding that from the KNO and UPF side, a proposal for providing financial package agreed to pay on them with immediate effect even though while signing it was agreed to pay after the cadres lodge at the designated camps.

The meeting also discussed on the matter of violation of the ground rules by the militant outfits and verifications of the lists of the cadres for making identity cards, the source added.

Around six more designated camps which inspections to the sites have been completed were approved during today's meeting and it was reportedly agreed to speed up inspections to other places for finalization of establishing the camps at the earliest.

A total of 22 places for opening designated camps were submitted by the outfits under SoO agreement.

Out of this total 10 places have been selected by the JMG in separate meetings held between the representatives of KNO and UPF and decided to conduct survey to the locations of the camps in the meeting held on November 13 and 15 last separately with KNO and UPF under the chair of DS Poonia, state principal secretary (home) who is the chairman of the JMG.

The four places which already confirmed for setting up the designated camps were at- Nathanjang village (also known Chongkhonjou) in Churachandpur district, Chelap village in Chandel district, Samusang in Sadar hills under Senapati district and Vangai ridge near Tipaimukh of Churachandpur bordering with Tamenglong district, the source said.

Today's meeting chaired by the principal secretary (home), DS Poonia, the chairman of the JMG and an official of the MHA also attended apart from the top leaders of the KNO and UPF and state police department who are the members of the JMG.

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