Thadou, Meetei groups vow to uphold integrity, junk AKT tag
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 02 2025: Representatives of five organisations of Thadou and Meetei communities jointly pledged to uphold the territorial integrity and unity of Manipur.

The organisations also called for deletion of the category "Any Kuki tribes (AKT)" from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of Manipur and urgent implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

According to a joint statement, the resolutions were adopted following an academic discourse titled "Ethnic Identity and Conflict in Manipur" held on April 10 at the India International Centre, New Delhi.

The event was jointly organised by Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Meitei Heritage Society, Delhi Manipuri Society, and Ningol United Progressive Initiative, representing the Thadou and Meetei civil society organisations.

Scholars and representatives of both communities participated in the discussion, held to foster mutual understanding amid the ongoing ethnic crisis.

In the joint statement, both sides reaffirmed the March 7, 2025, New Delhi declaration between Thadou Inpi and the Meitei Alliance as a milestone in fostering peaceful coexistence.

They agreed to safeguard the multi-ethnic character of Manipur and acknowledged the Thadou community's contributions toward protecting the state's integrity and collective interest.

The statement recognised Thadou as a distinct indigenous community that does not fall under the umbrella term "Kuki" or "Any Kuki tribes", which the signatories described as an unconstitutional and ambiguous category.

They appealed to the competent authorities to delete "Any Kuki tribes" from the ST list, arguing that it was inserted in 2003 for political purposes, enabling illegal immigrants to misuse the category and threatening national security by fostering what they described as "Kuki Suprematism" .

The organisations asserted that the term "Kuki" is a faulty colonial construct and not a legitimate ethnic or cultural identity, arguing that none of the 29 originally recognised tribes in Manipur are identified as "Kuki", and that tribal references should be based strictly on names listed under Article 342 of the Constitution, not on any imposed or colonial-era labels.

Both parties condemned what they called extremist elements among Kuki militants for demanding separate administration and silencing peace-seeking Thadous and other indigenous communities.

At the same time, the organisations urged the Government of India to immediately update the NRC in Manipur to detect and manage the influx of illegal immigrants, which they said poses a threat to indigenous demographics and national interests.

Further, they called for the termination of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, citing repeated violations that have led to unrest and targeting of unarmed Thadou villagers.

The two communities also expressed support for the Ministry of Home Affairs' efforts to ensure free movement across the state, including the unhindered use of national highways by all communities.

They urged authorities to rehabilitate and resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their original locations with compensation and security.

The joint statement then urged other civil society organisations in the state to commit to mutual respect, constructive dialogue, and long-term peace grounded injustice, recognition, and coexistence.

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