Imphal: Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou community, has directed its members to register on its official website.
It has also reaffirmed that the Thadou have a distinct ethnic identity and should be recognised separately in future peace talks in Manipur.
In a recent media release, TIM said the Thadou were a separate community from the Kuki, Zomi, Hmar and Mizo groups. It criticised the state government led by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh for using “Kuki” or “Kuki-Zo” as an umbrella term for 12 non-Naga Zo tribes.
The organisation also alleged that the government’s peace initiatives had excluded the Thadou community while engaging with other tribal groups.
TIM said the government’s approach lacked clarity and risked imposing an unwanted political identity on the Thadou people.
It also rejected the representative authority of the Kuki Zo Council and Kuki Inpi Manipur, accusing them of promoting supremacist politics and speaking on behalf of active militant groups.
The organisation said it had introduced a standard operating procedure after reports of Thadou members travelling to Imphal for medical treatment or transit without central coordination. Under the new rules, all community members must register on its official website.
TIM warned that travel by unregistered individuals would be considered unauthorised and that the organisation would not be responsible for their conduct.
TIM also distanced itself from groups demanding a Union Territory or a separate administration under a unified Kuki-Zo identity, saying they had no mandate to represent the Thadou community.
To support its independent approach to peace, TIM cited a joint covenant signed on August 6, 2025, with several civil society organisations, including the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation, the Federation of Civil Society Organisations and Arambai Tenggol.
The organisation said the agreement should be strengthened to promote lasting coexistence between the Thadou and Meitei communities.