Two influential civil society organizations from Manipur, the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur, held a historic joint press conference in New Delhi, emphasizing the need for peace following ethnic violence since May 2023. They proposed a six-point agreement aimed at fostering harmonious relations among diverse communities. The joint statement calls for preserving Manipur’s multi-ethnic society, delisting ambiguous tribal designations, and acknowledging the unique identity of the Thadou tribe separate from the Kuki community. Despite the UKNA militant group’s threats against the meeting, both organizations condemned violence and expressed commitment to dialogue and peace in Manipur.
New Delhi:
Today, two prominent civil society organizations from Manipur’s Meitei community and the distinct indigenous Thadou tribe held a joint press conference, urging efforts to foster peace in Manipur.
At the press conference in Delhi, members of the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur described this joint declaration as a “significant and historic moment,” marking their first collaboration on a common platform since the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023.
The Meitei Alliance, which serves as a global collective for Meitei civil society organizations, alongside the Thadou Inpi Manipur, the leading entity representing the Thadou tribe in the state, outlined a six-point agreement. They believe this agreement could serve as a foundation for incremental steps towards restoring peace and rebuilding lives in this state bordering Myanmar.
“From the Thadou’s perspective, our primary goal is clear: we desire peace… Without clearly identifying who the Kukis are in Manipur, no solution can be found,” stated T Michael Lamjathang Haokip, General Secretary of Thadou Inpi Manipur, during the press conference.
“It is crucial to pinpoint who the Kukis are. You’ve likely heard references to various hyphenated terms like Kuki dash Zo, which the Zomi Council doesn’t accept; Kuki dash Zo also rejected by Hmar… these disputes have resulted in confusion… So who truly are the Kukis and who are the individuals causing the violence? Until we define these groups, we risk setting off a time bomb. Another eruption is imminent in the name of Kuki,” Mr. Haokip emphasized.
Dr. Malem Ningthouja, a founding member of the Meitei Alliance, expressed that while some individuals may oppose peace and coexistence in Manipur, there are many who are “crying for peace, yearning to address the grievances of those affected by the upheaval in Manipur.”
“In our pursuit of sustainable solutions, we encountered various factions, including Thadou Inpi Manipur. We acknowledge their valid grievances against sectarian and supremacist forces. The Meitei Alliance is committed to addressing the unique democratic concerns of coexisting communities and recognizing the aspirations and concerns of all while advocating for peace. This is the basis for our collaboration,” Dr. Ningthouja noted.
Diverse Communities
In the joint document, both organizations emphasized the critical need for initiatives that promote a peaceful and harmonious rapport among the diverse communities that contribute to Manipur’s cultural landscape.
The opening point of the joint statement called for the preservation and fostering of Manipur as a unified and harmonious multi-ethnic society, ensuring respect, security, and unity among all its members.
Additionally, the joint statement requested the removal of ambiguous or incorrect designations, such as ‘Any Kuki tribes,’ from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of Manipur. It also demanded recognition for the original inhabitants of Manipur, all original communities included, alongside an update to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The concluding points highlight the need to “recognize the courageous leadership and aspirations of Thadou Inpi Manipur to safeguard and promote their identity as separate and distinct from Kuki” and called for collaborative efforts to rectify community identity misidentifications and misconceptions.
‘Milestone Achievement’
The Thadou Inpi Manipur asserts that Thadou is a unique tribe with its own identity, language, and culture, and should not be categorized under the Kuki umbrella. The organization is also advocating for the removal of ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ from the ST classification, a designation that was introduced in 2003 by the then Congress government in Manipur.
“This marks a monumental achievement for the Thadou people because we have long desired recognition and understanding from others. We hope this partnership with the Meitei Alliance is welcomed by the citizens of Manipur. It is essential that the community grasps the distinctions between Kuki and Thadou. There is no conflict between Meitei and Thadou; it arises from mistaken identities,” Mr. Haokip stated to NDTV.
Recent Developments
In a supportive move, another civil society group from the Meitei community and the Thadou Students Association (GHQ) endorsed the Centre’s recent efforts to restore peace in the strife-torn state. The Thadou Students’ Association (GHQ) described the Centre’s directive to allow free movement on all roads in Manipur as “a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Delhi Meitei Forum (DMF), a civil society organization representing the Meitei community in the national capital, expressed its “deep appreciation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his dedication to restoring peace and stability in Manipur,” especially regarding the directive for unrestricted travel across the roads in Manipur starting March 8, ensuring safety and accessibility for everyone.
Threat By Kuki Militant Group UKNA
Just hours before the press conference in Delhi commenced on Friday, the militant group United Kuki National Army (UKNA) issued a threat against the Meitei Alliance and the Thadou Inpi Manipur, demanding the cancellation of the event. Notably, the UKNA is not a signatory to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement.
Both civil society groups, along with multiple supporters of the joint peace initiative, condemned the UKNA’s threats and called upon the government to take action against this group, which is already facing scrutiny from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over terror-related allegations.
“The press conference, set for March 7, 2025, at Vishwa Yuwa Kendra, New Delhi, is a united effort to cultivate mutual respect and peaceful dialogue between our communities. Any attempt to thwart these efforts through threats or intimidation is both unacceptable and reprehensible,” the global body Thadou Community International (TCI) articulated in a statement.
The Meitei Heritage Society, Thadou Students’ Association (GHQ), Meitei Alliance, Thadou Inpi Manipur, and various entities have collectively denounced the UKNA’s threats, reaffirming their commitment to proceeding with the joint press conference.
“We are taken aback by the objection from certain Chin Kuki civil society organizations and student bodies. More concerning is the UKNA’s threats towards us to abandon the peace initiative or face severe repercussions. We denounce this threat. It reinforces what we have asserted from the outset; it is the Kuki militant groups that resist peace in Manipur, aiming to maintain control over the general populace through violence,” the Meitei Heritage Society declared in a statement.
Kuki Organisations Object To Meeting
The Kuki Students’ Organisation (Delhi and NCR) claimed that the meeting lacked legitimacy to “unilaterally decide the future of the Kuki community under the guise of restoring peace in Manipur.”
“Thadou Inpi Manipur, a marginal organization that continually incites divisions within the Kuki community, particularly amongst the Thadou tribe, is a collective influenced by a select few with self-serving agendas that contradict the welfare of their own people,” stated the KSO (Delhi and NCR) in its statement.
They further accused Thadou Inpi Manipur of “a stark act of defection that undermines the genuine mother organization – Thadou Inpi General Headquarters, Manipur, of which it was once a vital part – and runs counter to the interests of the community it falsely claims to represent.”
PRESS CONDEMNATION
The Kuki Students’ Organisation, Delhi & NCR (#KSOD&NCR), on behalf of the entire Kuki community-victims of state-engineered genocide in #Manipur-unequivocally asserts that the Joint Press Conference of the #Meitei Alliance and Thadou Inpi Manipur (#TIM), pic.twitter.com/Ig4pzCsCPt— KSO Delhi & NCR (@KSODelhi) March 7, 2025
The Meitei community, which primarily inhabits the valley, has been in conflict with various tribes collectively known as Kuki, who predominantly reside in the hilly regions of Manipur, since May 2023 over diverse issues like land rights and political representation. The violence has claimed over 250 lives and led to nearly 50,000 being displaced internally.
‘Separate Administration Not New Demand’
Meitei leaders have accused Kuki militant groups that have signed the SoO agreement of strengthening their positions over the years by exploiting the ceasefire, ultimately leading to violent actions aimed at establishing a separate territory.
Conversely, the Kuki-Zo factions attribute the escalation of their demands for an autonomous council to a separate administration or Union Territory with assembly to the ethnic strife which reignited in May 2023, while Meitei leaders cite long-standing evidence of Kuki groups lobbying for the establishment of ‘Kukiland’ carved out of Manipur.
The World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) submitted a memorandum to the new Governor of Manipur on January 15, asserting that Kuki tribes have been seeking statehood “since 1946-47.”
Prior to May 2023, demands for a distinct area segmented from Manipur were often voiced in Kuki protests, assemblies, and discussions.