Kuki Body's Diktat To MLAs In Manipur Illegal, Can Be Charged, Says Thadou Inpi Manipur

A key organisation of the indigenous distinct tribe Thadou in Manipur has condemned a Kuki tribes' body for issuing a diktat to "Kuki-Zo" MLAs not to participate in forming government in the border state, whenever it happens.

The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), which says it is the main civil body representing the Thadou tribe, said the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) can neither dictate to nor force leaders from the Thadou, Hmar, Paite, Vaiphei, Zou, or any other Zo kindred tribes to do their bidding.

According to Thadou Inpi Manipur's senior members, Kuki Inpi Manipur is not effective in Kangpokpi district, the turf of MLAs Nemcha Kipgen and Haokholet Kipgen.

"Moreover, their [Kuki Inpi Manipur's] influence doesn't count over Zomi MLAs such as Vungzagin Valte and LM Khaute, Zou tribe MLA Chinlunthang, and Hmar MLA Ngursanglur Sanate. So, under Kuki Inpi Manipur, the only MLAs left are Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, Paolienlal Haokip, and Letzamang Haokip, all belonging to Any Kuki Tribes," a senior functionary of Thadou Inpi Manipur said.

"Thadou people reside all over Manipur, vote and contest in local, state, and national elections for MDCs, MLAs, and MPs. Presently, among the 10 Zo MLAs supporting the 'SA demand in Manipur', three hold Thadou ST certificates - Nemcha Kipgen, Letpao Haokip, and Haokholet Kipgen," the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in a statement on Tuesday.

"If any of them wish to identify as Kuki, they should obtain an AKT certificate... However, no force has any right to disturb, harm, or intimidate any Thadou ST certificate holding MLAs in exercising his/her constitutional obligations such as part of formation of a popular government, as they are not Kuki but Thadou," TIM said, referring to 'Any Kuki Tribes', or AKT.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur can be charged with "criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, unlawful restraint, obstruction of public functionaries, and sedition if their acts threaten public order or constitutional governance... and undermine the sovereignty, integrity, or democratic processes of India," TIM said.

The "Kuki-Zo" nomenclature refers exclusively to individuals who subscribe to the Any Kuki Tribes (AKT) Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, while in contrast Thadou is a distinct indigenous tribe with its own constitutional recognition with a population of 2.16 lakh as per the 2011 Census and enumerated in the Census of India since 1881, consistently holding the highest population among tribal communities and ranking as the second-largest community after the Meitei in Manipur, the Thadou Inpi Manipur said.

"Neither Kuki-Zo subscribers nor Kuki Inpi Manipur hold any authority over the Thadou people or Thadou Inpi Manipur," TIM said.

TIM said it was formerly called the Thadou National Council [established in 1984] and the Thadou Tribe Council, and has "never been part of Kuki Inpi Manipur since its formation in 1993 along with its units like KSO, KKL, etc. The Thadou Conclave Delhi 2015 Declaration No. 6 explicitly disowned Kuki Inpi and its units. KIM applies only to AKT certificate holders, not Thadou in Manipur."

On Saturday last, the Kuki Inpi Manipur in a statement had said "no Kuki-Zo MLA shall participate or take part in any manner in the formation of a new popular government" in Manipur. "Under no circumstances shall the Kuki-Zo people compromise our ancestral land, culture, identity, and political, social and economic rights," the Kuki Inpi Manipur said.

The KIM marked a copy of the statement to other allied organisations of the Kuki tribes and also the two umbrella groups, Kuki National Organisation and United People's Front, which represent 25 insurgent groups that signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state government.

Meitei leaders have alleged Kuki insurgent groups that signed the SoO agreement have been working to strengthen themselves over the years by taking advantage of the ceasefire, until a time came to engineer a violent attack for a separate land.

While Kuki groups pointed at the ethnic clashes that began in May 2023 as the reason why they escalated their demand from an autonomous council to a separate administration, or a Union Territory with an assembly, Meitei leaders have pointed at decades-old evidence of Kuki groups working to form 'Kukiland' carved out of Manipur.

The World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC) in a memorandum to Manipur's new Governor on January 15 said the Kuki tribes have been demanding a state "since 1946-47."

In the years before May 2023, Kuki protests, gatherings and panel discussions have mentioned the demand for a separate area carved out of Manipur.