Speaking on Tuesday in his first ever appearance before the media on Tuesday at Camp Ebeneger, a designated camp, KNF president S.T Thangboi questioned as who are the people who are demanding the 'Kuki Regiment" from the government
"We are fighting for the Kuki-land (statehood)," the Kuki militant leader said adding, "We will not negotiate for anything lesser than the statehood".
ST Thangboi who is also the general secretary of United People's Front (UPF), one of the two umbrella organisations of the Kuki militant groups, said that the KNF cadres will 'deposit' their weapons on Wednesday at Camp Ebeneger in Sardar Hills in the presence of top government officials and the Army.
The KNF leader then urged New Delhi to appoint a 'joint secretary' level interlocutor for the Kukis as the first step to begin the political dialogue.
S.T Thangboi then made it clear that they are depositing the weapons and it is never a surrender of arms to the government.
He disclosed that the weapons will deposited at a 'strongroom' which has a double lock where one each will be handled by both the government and the KNF.
However, some weapons will be kept with the outfit for the security of the outfit's leaders and the camp.
S.T Thangboi then appealed all the sgnatories of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) to follow suit claiming, "KNF being the mother organisation, we are taking the intiative in entering the designated camp and hence the state government should make sure that other SoO signatories to the same".
On the several allegations that SoO signatories are still indulging in extortions and other anti-social activities, S.T Thangboi said that the outfit is strictly monitoring the cadres' movements and assured that its cadres stop all the anti-social activities.