Imphal: In a historic first, the representatives of the Meitei and Thadou communities came together to discuss ways to end the ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur for nearly two years.
The meeting, held in Delhi, aimed to foster mutual understanding and pave the way for peaceful coexistence in the state. The Thadou Inpi Manipur (the apex body representing the Thadou community) was led by its president, M. James Thadou, while the Meitei Alliance (a consortium of Meitei organisations based outside Manipur) was represented by Sagolsem Birmani. Several prominent personalities also participated, enriching the discussions.
Both sides agreed to uphold Manipur’s unity and promote a cohesive, multi-ethnic society based on peace, respect, and security for all. They also emphasized a collaborative approach to addressing the genuine concerns of different communities while safeguarding Manipur’s collective interests.
Key agreements reached during the meeting included:
- Recognizing and preserving the identities of Manipur’s original inhabitants and communities.
- Updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
- Removing ambiguous or fabricated classifications, such as “Any Kuki Tribes,” from Manipur’s Scheduled Tribes List.
Furthermore, the leaders acknowledged the Thadou Inpi Manipur’s commitment to preserving Thadou identity as distinct from the Kuki community. They pledged to work together to prevent identity misidentification and misinterpretation through joint initiatives and collective efforts.
This meeting marked a significant step toward fostering unity and addressing long-standing ethnic tensions in Manipur.
TCI condemns death threats
The Thadou Community International (TCI) has strongly denounced the death threats made by the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) against Thadou Inpi Manipur leaders ahead of their upcoming press conference on peaceful coexistence between the Thadou tribe and Meiteis.
In a press note, TCI stated that the press conference, scheduled for March 7, 2025, at Vishwa Yuwa Kendra, New Delhi, is a collaborative effort to foster mutual respect and peaceful dialogue between our communities. “Any attempt to silence these efforts through death threats or intimidation is unacceptable and highly condemnable”, it added.
It called for swift action against those responsible for issuing these threats to ensure the safety of all those involved in peace efforts. These threats jeopardize lives and seek to derail vital peace efforts.
