Manipur's Thadou Body Alleges Threats Against Tribe Attending Cultural Fest

A Manipur-based organisation representing the Thadou tribe has alleged that its members are being threatened with violence to prevent them from attending a state-level cultural festival in Imphal next week. The organisation alleged that some people who threatened it used the names of Kuki insurgent groups for intimidation.

The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) in a statement said it had received "widespread reports" of threats directed at the tribe members who wished to attend the 8th Manipur State-Level Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival, scheduled for April 7 in the state capital Imphal.

The threats were being communicated through social media, phone calls, and messages, TIM alleged. The statement alleged that those issuing the threats were individuals "identifying themselves as Thadous as well as Kuki or just Kuki".

TIM has increasingly asserted a distinct Thadou tribe identity, separate from Kuki political organisations. Kuki civil society organisations have also maintained a near-complete separation from institutions based in the Imphal valley region since the Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence began in May 2023.

TIM president M James Thadou said the organisation "will not remain a mute spectator" if the intimidation continued. The statement urged Thadou community members to "remain united" and attend the festival freely.

Thadou tribe members in Assam (File)

The preparations for the 8th Manipur State Level Hun-Thadou Cultural Festival 2026 are in full swing, with all arrangements underway for a successful and meaningful celebration, TIM said.

Initiated in 2016 following a resolution of the Thadou Conclave, Delhi 2015, the festival is observed and celebrated annually on April 7 as a symbol of cultural unity and identity for Thadou people worldwide, the organisation said in a statement, adding the festival has been officially recognised as a Restricted State Holiday since 2023 by the Manipur government.

This year's celebration is especially significant amid recent developments in Manipur, TIM said. Encouraging peace-building efforts between Thadou leadership and Meitei civil society groups have fostered renewed understanding and reconciliation, it said.