UNLF (Pambei) group general secretary Ch Thanil says to sign a ceasefire and hold talks with the Government of India soon

United National Liberation Front (UNLF) faction led by Kh Pambei has decided to sign a mutual ceasefire agreement with the Government of India. The faction says it is preparing for a negotiated settlement to the protracted armed struggle to regain Manipur’s lost sovereignty.

UNLF (Pambei) group’s general secretary Ch Thanil on Friday said that the outfit will soon sign a ceasefire and hold talks with the Government of India soon.

Speaking on the occasion of UNLF’s 59th Anniversary at the newly inaugurated camp in Kakching Khunou area on November 25, Ch Thanil said the proposed process may be termed as “peace talk” and the UNLF (Pambei) will soon be engaged with Government of India authorities.


Ch Thanil allayed “doubts” over the minds of the public in Manipur by asserting that — what the UNLF (Pambei) will be embarking upon will not be a “surrender” as being speculated by unscrupulous individuals. He said it will be a process towards a negotiated political settlement. Ch Thanil mentioned that the move towards ceasefire and a political settlement were reached after the leadership pondered over “feelers” from New Delhi.

The general secretary of the faction states that after an understanding was reached between authorities representing the Government of India and UNLF (Pambei), the two sides decided not to act against each other. This is probably why central and state armed forces were not acting against them even as UNLF still remains a proscribed armed group.

Ch Thanil stated that while the group’s leadership was contemplating the process, Manipur was hit by the ongoing ethnic crisis, the clash between the Meiteis and the Chin-Kuki-Zo conglomerate. The general secretary however made it a point to recall that the founding fathers of the UNLF never based their movement on ethnic exclusivist ideas citing the example of how its first leadership comprised of eminent personalities drawn from major ethnic communities in Manipur.

Attended by key functionaries of the faction and thousands of supporters, the anniversary event turned out to be an occasion for public disclosure of the political intention of the UNLF led by Th Pambei.