Imphal: The Thadou Community International (TCI) has strongly condemned the recent attack on the family home of Thadou Students’ leader, Michael Lamjathang Haokip, in Peniel village, Churachandpur. On Sunday evening, approximately 30 armed assailants, believed to be supporters of the Kuki supremacy agenda, launched the violent attack.
The attackers fired multiple rounds of gunshots, broke into the home, and set fire to some of the property. Following the incident, a video went viral on social media showing a man brandishing a gun and a bullet, threatening to kill Michael Lamjathang. Notably, the attack occurred just hours after Michael had participated in a Manipur-based TV panel discussion on the topic of “Kuki Supremacy and its Agenda.”
This marks the second time Michael’s home has been targeted. The first attack occurred on May 6, 2023, involving arson and gunfire, allegedly perpetrated by Kuki militants in the aftermath of the violence that erupted in Churachandpur on May 3, 2023. Michael had also survived an assassination attempt on April 28, 2023, in Churachandpur.
In a statement, TCI denounced the attack as “barbaric and cowardly,” describing it as an assault not only on Michael Lamjathang and his family but on the entire Thadou community. The organization emphasized that the attackers aim to instill fear and psychological trauma within the Thadou people, resorting to violence when they lack the ability for civil discourse.
TCI further highlighted that Michael’s participation in the panel discussion, where he spoke on the historical and ongoing persecution of the Thadous by extremist Kuki supremacists, was only a glimpse of the larger issue. According to TCI, the Thadous have long suffered human rights abuses under Kuki supremacists, including being denied tribe certificates under the Thadou name, exclusion from Thadou activities, and pressure to identify as Kuki instead of Thadou. Thadou leaders, like Michael, have been selectively targeted for their leadership.
TCI questioned how such acts of violence and coercion can occur in a democratic country where the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights. The group called the recent attack another example of how the Thadous are being forced to renounce their identity and are punished for resisting the Kuki supremacy agenda.
The organization urged the Thadou people to remain united and committed to non-violence while seeking justice for their rights and identity. TCI also called on the government to take immediate and decisive action against those responsible for the attacks on Michael Lamjathang, including investigating the role of the fake Thadou Tribe Council (TTC), which has been accused of spreading disinformation and inciting violence against the Thadous.
Lastly, TCI appealed to kindred tribes, particularly Mizo leaders and organizations, to help promote peace and understanding and ensure the safety of the Mizo community during these tense times. They reaffirmed their belief in non-violence and civil discourse, challenging those who resort to violence to engage in meaningful dialogue instead.
