Imphal: Two important social groups, the Meitei Alliance and Thadou Inpi Manipur, came together in Delhi on Friday to call for peace in Manipur.
This was the first time the two communities held a joint meeting since the ethnic violence began in May 2023. They described the event as a “historic moment” and shared a six-point agreement to promote peace and unity.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Both groups stressed the importance of keeping Manipur a multi-ethnic society where all communities can live together peacefully.
They also demanded that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated to identify the original inhabitants of Manipur. Another key demand was the removal of the term “Any Kuki Tribes” from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list, saying it creates confusion about identities.
Thadou Inpi Manipur’s General Secretary, T Michael Lamjathang Haokip, spoke about the need to clearly define different Kuki sub-groups to avoid further conflict. Meitei Alliance leader Dr. Malem Ningthouja supported the idea of addressing the concerns of the Thadou people while working for peace in Manipur.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Before the press conference, a militant group called the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) reportedly threatened to stop the meeting. However, the event went ahead as planned. Many organizations, including the Meitei Heritage Society and Thadou Students’ Association, condemned the threats and called for action against UKNA.
At the same time, another group, the Kuki Students’ Organisation (Delhi & NCR), opposed the meeting. They claimed that Thadou Inpi Manipur does not truly represent the Kuki community and accused it of trying to create divisions among the Kuki people.
The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities started in May 2023 due to disagreements over land rights and political representation. Since then, over 250 people have died, and nearly 50,000 have been forced to leave their homes. Kuki-Zo groups have been demanding a separate administration, while Meitei leaders believe that Kuki militant groups have been planning for years to break away from Manipur.
Some documents suggest that the demand for a separate Kuki state has existed since 1946-47. Despite the efforts of some groups to bring peace, deep divisions remain in Manipur, making it difficult to find a lasting solution.