Latest news with #ThadouInpiManipur
NDTV
08-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Kuki Body's Diktat To MLAs In Manipur Illegal, Can Be Charged, Says Thadou Inpi Manipur
Imphal/Guwahati: A key organisation of the indigenous distinct tribe Thadou in Manipur has condemned a Kuki tribes' body for issuing a diktat to "Kuki-Zo" MLAs not to participate in forming government in the border state, whenever it happens. The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), which says it is the main civil body representing the Thadou tribe, said the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) can neither dictate to nor force leaders from the Thadou, Hmar, Paite, Vaiphei, Zou, or any other Zo kindred tribes to do their bidding. According to Thadou Inpi Manipur's senior members, Kuki Inpi Manipur is not effective in Kangpokpi district, the turf of MLAs Nemcha Kipgen and Haokholet Kipgen. "Moreover, their [Kuki Inpi Manipur's] influence doesn't count over Zomi MLAs such as Vungzagin Valte and LM Khaute, Zou tribe MLA Chinlunthang, and Hmar MLA Ngursanglur Sanate. So, under Kuki Inpi Manipur, the only MLAs left are Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, Paolienlal Haokip, and Letzamang Haokip, all belonging to Any Kuki Tribes," a senior functionary of Thadou Inpi Manipur said. "Thadou people reside all over Manipur, vote and contest in local, state, and national elections for MDCs, MLAs, and MPs. Presently, among the 10 Zo MLAs supporting the 'SA demand in Manipur', three hold Thadou ST certificates - Nemcha Kipgen, Letpao Haokip, and Haokholet Kipgen," the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in a statement on Tuesday. "If any of them wish to identify as Kuki, they should obtain an AKT certificate... However, no force has any right to disturb, harm, or intimidate any Thadou ST certificate holding MLAs in exercising his/her constitutional obligations such as part of formation of a popular government, as they are not Kuki but Thadou," TIM said, referring to 'Any Kuki Tribes', or AKT. The Kuki Inpi Manipur can be charged with "criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, unlawful restraint, obstruction of public functionaries, and sedition if their acts threaten public order or constitutional governance... and undermine the sovereignty, integrity, or democratic processes of India," TIM said. The "Kuki-Zo" nomenclature refers exclusively to individuals who subscribe to the Any Kuki Tribes (AKT) Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, while in contrast Thadou is a distinct indigenous tribe with its own constitutional recognition with a population of 2.16 lakh as per the 2011 Census and enumerated in the Census of India since 1881, consistently holding the highest population among tribal communities and ranking as the second-largest community after the Meitei in Manipur, the Thadou Inpi Manipur said. "Neither Kuki-Zo subscribers nor Kuki Inpi Manipur hold any authority over the Thadou people or Thadou Inpi Manipur," TIM said. TIM said it was formerly called the Thadou National Council [established in 1984] and the Thadou Tribe Council, and has "never been part of Kuki Inpi Manipur since its formation in 1993 along with its units like KSO, KKL, etc. The Thadou Conclave Delhi 2015 Declaration No. 6 explicitly disowned Kuki Inpi and its units. KIM applies only to AKT certificate holders, not Thadou in Manipur." On Saturday last, the Kuki Inpi Manipur in a statement had said "no Kuki-Zo MLA shall participate or take part in any manner in the formation of a new popular government" in Manipur. "Under no circumstances shall the Kuki-Zo people compromise our ancestral land, culture, identity, and political, social and economic rights," the Kuki Inpi Manipur said. The KIM marked a copy of the statement to other allied organisations of the Kuki tribes and also the two umbrella groups, Kuki National Organisation and United People's Front, which represent 25 insurgent groups that signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state government. Meitei leaders have alleged Kuki insurgent groups that signed the SoO agreement have been working to strengthen themselves over the years by taking advantage of the ceasefire, until a time came to engineer a violent attack for a separate land. While Kuki groups pointed at the ethnic clashes that began in May 2023 as the reason why they escalated their demand from an autonomous council to a separate administration, or a Union Territory with an assembly, Meitei leaders have pointed at decades-old evidence of Kuki groups working to form 'Kukiland' carved out of Manipur. The World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) in a memorandum to Manipur's new Governor on January 15 said the Kuki tribes have been demanding a state "since 1946-47." In the years before May 2023, Kuki protests, gatherings and panel discussions have mentioned the demand for a separate area carved out of Manipur.
NDTV
24-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Unlimited Scope Of Abuse": Meitei, Thadou Tribe Bodies Ask Centre To Remove 'Any Kuki Tribes' From Manipur ST List
Imphal/Guwahati/New Delhi: Two top civil society organisations of Manipur's Meitei community and the indigenous distinct tribe Thadou have asked the central government to remove 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Manipur. The Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur in a joint representation to Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said the inclusion of 'Any Kuki Tribes' in Manipur's ST list is "constitutionally flawed, ethnographically invalid, and a serious threat to the rights and peaceful co-existence of existing recognised communities in the state." They also called 'Any Kuki Tribes' an "invalid continuation of a deleted colonial classification." "Any Kuki Tribes proponents claim it represents [sic] a 'Kuki tribe'. This is false. 'Kuki' is neither a tribe nor a language, and it does not denote a distinct culture. It is a loose, political label without ethnographic or linguistic basis, often misused as an umbrella identity for varied unrelated groups," the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in the representation to the Union minister. A Thadou Inpi Manipur spokesperson said there are 33 distinct recognised tribes in Manipur's ST list, and adding 'Any Kuki Tribes' takes the total to 34. The last tribe to be added to the ST list was 'Mate' in 2012. The two civil society organisations pointed out that while the 33 recognised tribes are distinct, 'Any Kuki Tribes' is wide open to misuse because it also means "anybody" can claim to be a part of 'Any Kuki Tribes'. Statements on social media purportedly made by Hmar and Paite tribe organisations claimed they supported the Meitei and Thadou representation on the 'Any Kuki Tribes' issue. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the Hmar and Paite organisations' statements. In Manipur's context, the 'Any Kuki Tribes' category gives "unlimited scope of abuse" by enabling "fabrication of endless tribal identities... which could even include foreigners and illegal immigrants," the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in their representation to the Union tribal affairs minister. "This unlimited and undefined scope opens the door for mass misuse, mass infiltration, illegal immigration and identity fraud." The same two civil society organisations from different communities in Manipur, where the ethnic divide is deep, had on March 8 made a joint call for peace in an unprecedented move as they met for the first time on a common platform and for a common goal since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023. Following meetings of the state cabinet on October 19, 2018 and January 2, 2023, the Manipur government on February 8, 2023 formally recommended the central government to delete 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the ST list. Nearly three months later, the ethnic clashes broke out. The Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur presented a 12-point explanation to the Union tribal affairs minister suggesting why 'Any Kuki Tribes' should be removed from the ST list. Some of them included "arbitrary and improper inclusion, non-acceptance by native communities; duplication of recognised tribes, especially Thadou; invalid continuation of a deleted colonial classification, unlimited and abusable scope, misuse by surnames and clans, and inconsistent with the official ST framework". The two civil society organisations point out that 'Any Kuki Tribes' is essentially an "invalid continuation of a deleted colonial classification." During the 1951-56 period, colonial-era broad groupings like 'Any Kuki Tribe', 'Any Naga Tribe', and 'Any Lushai Tribe' were temporarily used, they said. After a proper survey by the Kaka Kalelkar Commission [India's first Backward Classes Commission] and with the recommendation of the then state government and a proper ethnographic verification, the 1956 SC/ST Amendment Act or Modification Order deleted 'Any Kuki' and 'Any Naga' - and instead recognised 29 distinct Scheduled Tribes, the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur said. "However, the broad classification of 'Any Mizo (Lushai)' was retained for linguistic-cultural reasons. The re-insertion of 'Any Kuki Tribes' in 2003 violated this settled constitutional and ethnological framework," the two civil society organisations said in their representation to the Union minister. "There is no justification for creating AKT [Any Kuki Tribes]. The creation of AKT sets a dangerous precedent: if every discontented sub-group within a tribe claims separate ST status, it will result in unending community fragmentation. The deletion of AKT will preserve the sanctity of the ST list as well as the integrity and unity of the recognised communities of Manipur," they said. A Thadou Inpi Manipur spokesperson said the organisation has been trying to raise awareness about 'Any Kuki Tribes' for a long time, and only now people in Manipur have started realising the gravity of the matter. "We need to do a lot more. Raising awareness was a start. We hope all communities in Manipur unite and recognise this huge problem to undo the damage done to the state," the spokesperson said. The ethnic clashes in Manipur have killed over 260 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.
NDTV
18-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Manipur's Thadou Tribe Body Asks Panel To Recognise 3rd Category Of Displaced People
Imphal/New Delhi: A top body of the Thadou tribe in Manipur has requested the Justice Gita Mittal (retired) Committee, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to recognise a third category of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state where Meitei-Kuki ethnic clashes broke out in May 2023. Currently, the state government recognises two categories of IDPs - those living in relief camps and registered with deputy commissioners (DCs), and those living outside relief camps but within Manipur and registered with DCs. In separate memorandums, the Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) said displaced families of the Thadou tribe who are living outside Manipur and outside government relief camps, and who remain unregistered and unreached by any form of state or central assistance since the outbreak of violence over two years ago should be recognised as a third category of IDPs. The Thadou Inpi Manipur has highlighted the community as a distinct tribe with their own ethnic identity, having its own language, culture, traditions, and history, and not a part of the umbrella term 'Kuki'. "Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki... Thadou is one of the original 29 native/indigenous tribes of Manipur, India, that were all simultaneously and duly recognised as independent Scheduled Tribes of Manipur under the 1956 Presidential Order, Government of India," the Thadou Convention held in Assam's Guwahati in November 2024 had declared. In the memorandum submitted to the Justice Mittal Committee on relief, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons in Manipur, the Thadou Inpi Manipur said many members of the Thadou tribe who can be categorised as IDPs include those who fled amid life-threatening violence, suffering total loss of movable and immovable property, with only a few retaining plots of land. They can also include those currently living in cities such as Delhi, Guwahati, Shillong, Bengaluru, and others, facing immense hardship, psychological trauma, and lack of stability; those who have not been officially recognised or registered as IDPs by any government authority, and those who have not received any form of relief, compensation or rehabilitation assistance from either the state or central government to date, the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in a statement. "TIM [Thadou Inpi Manipur] has called for the immediate issuance of displacement certificates, a formal verification exercise, and inclusion in all relief and rehabilitation frameworks, while also urging authorities to acknowledge the resilience of these families who have survived two years without support," TIM joint general secretary Manggou Thadou said in the statement. "These Thadou families were displaced not out of privilege, but out of fear and necessity. Their survival should be recognised, not punished. It is time the government formally acknowledges them as Internally Displaced Persons under a distinct and just category," Manggou Thadou said. The memorandums were signed by TIM general secretary Michael Lamjathang Haokip, who says his house in Manipur's Churachandpur was attacked twice by an armed mob for asserting Thadou as a distinct tribe. The Thadou Inpi Manipur has also been demanding the government to remove 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the list of Scheduled Tribes in Manipur. Apart from the Justice Mittal Committee, the Thadou body also submitted the memorandums to the Union home minister, the Manipur governor, and the chief secretary. The Supreme Court in March extended the tenure of the committee till July 31. A preliminary list of displaced families of the Thadou tribe was enclosed with the memorandums.
New Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Manipur tightens security ahead of second anniversary of ethnic violence
GUWAHATI: Security has been heightened in Manipur on the eve of the second anniversary of the state's ethnic violence. Police have intensified the frisking of vehicles at key locations in the Imphal Valley, Churachandpur, and Kangpokpi districts in an effort to thwart any untoward incidents, officials said. Kuki-Zo organisations will observe May 3 as 'Separation Day,' while two student organisations from the community have called for a shutdown of all educational institutions, shops, and commercial establishments in Kuki areas on that day. In the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity will organise a people's convention, where civil society leaders, scholars, eminent personalities, and internally displaced people will deliver speeches. A candlelight tribute will also be held to honour the victims of the conflict. Meanwhile, the Thadou Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Thadou community, has appealed to the public to collectively observe May 3 as 'Peace Day' each year, instead of different communities commemorating it in an antagonistic and communal manner. 'As we observe May 3 this year and pray for peace, we honour the memory of those who have fallen victim to the tragic violence and extend our deepest empathy to the survivors and their families,' the tribal organisation said in a statement.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Need to rebuild Meitei-Thadou ties in Manipur: Tribal body
GUWAHATI: The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), an apex body of the Thadou tribal community, has emphasised the need to rebuild and strengthen confidence and community understanding between the Meitei and Thadou communities in the State, trying to recover from the scars inflicted by two years of ethnic conflict that claimed more than 250 lives since May 2023. Also read: MHA discusses short, long-term measures with Kuki-Zo and Meitei groups in first such meeting The organisation said the gradual return to normalcy and peace in Manipur, which has been under the President's Rule since February 13, has paved the way for mending the Meitei-Thadoi ties and rebuilding trust among all other communities in the multiethnic State. 'All responsible leaders and stakeholders must appreciate the crucial, courageous roles played by the genuine Thadou leaders for community understanding, respectful dialogues and non-violent resolutions, which are essential for lasting peace and development in the State,' the TIM said in a statement. It highlighted the challenges and threats faced by the Thadou community from 'anti-peace vested interest groups often involving armed militant groups, selfish politicians, and individuals for narrow political and selfish gains'. The TIM condemned the historical and ongoing widespread human rights violations and persecution by 'Kuki terrorists and supremacist groups', whose actions 'threaten to annihilate the Thadou identiy' and disturb peace, security, and public safety. 'Further persecution of the Thadou community and Thadou leaders must be resisted by the Central and State governments, civil societies and all right-thinking people,' the organisation said, asserting the community's identity independent from the Kukis. '...Thadou is a distinct ethnic group of people, neither Kuki nor subordinate to Kuki, but a separate, independent ethnic entity from Kuki, and that any individual, or elected member/representative, or organisation that uses the name 'Thadou' but promotes Kuki is illegitimate and does not represent the Thadou people and their interest,' the TIM said. 'Thadou is one of the indigenous communities of Manipur recorded as only Thadou without any prefix or suffix in the official Scheduled Tribes gazette or orders and all censuses of Manipur since the first Indian census in 1881 till the latest census in 2011 with a population of 2.16 lakh. There should be no confusion between Thadou and Kuki as they are neither the same nor one being under or above the other,' the organisation said. It claimed that Kuki is not an ethnicity nor the name of an ethnic or cultural group, but a politically motivated vested interest group, with extremist ideology, designed and created for supremacy and control, particularly over the local indigenous communities. 'There is no Kuki other than the controversial 'Any Kuki Tribes' (AKT) listed in 2003. The first and only time Kuki had an official population record was the 2011 census, with a population of 28,342. There is a real need to understand what Kuki is and who Kukis are when none of the original 29 recognised tribes of Manipur identify as Kuki, but all firmly reject Kuki identity,' the TIM said. Acknowledging the importance of the National Register of Citizens in Manipur, the organisation pointed out that such an exercise would not solve the issue of foreigners until the AKT is deleted from official records.
