Thadou Leader's Peace Mission in Manipur: Breaking Ethnic Barriers Amid Post-Conflict Tensions

Michael Lamjathang Thadou has been residing in Manipur's Imphal valley for a month, actively sharing updates to counter fear-based narratives that have persisted since the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflicts began over two years ago.

Despite having his ancestral home in Churachandpur district burned twice by mobs in 2024, and his Imphal residence destroyed when violence erupted in May 2023, Thadou remains committed to demonstrating that peaceful coexistence is possible among ordinary citizens in Manipur.

During a press conference in Imphal, he explained that certain communal groups and armed organizations are perpetuating hatred to serve their own interests, while actively preventing internally displaced people from returning to their homes through threats and intimidation.

Thadou emphasized that many victims of the ethnic violence were targeted simply due to mistaken community identification.

"I am not Kuki, and I am safe in Imphal. Peace on the horizon. Yes to Manipur, no to anti-Manipur," stated the Thadou tribe leader in a social media post on X, accompanied by a photograph taken at what appears to be an Imphal market.

The Meitei community predominates in central Manipur's "valley" region, while the "hill" region includes smaller valleys between highlands. The Kuki tribes are established in southern Manipur's hills and some areas north of Imphal.

Thadou has been advocating for recognition of the Thadou tribe's distinct identity, separate from the Kuki tribes—efforts that have faced backlash from those who reject this distinction.

Supporters of the Kuki nomenclature dismiss Thadou's campaign as politically motivated, noting his role as a BJP spokesperson in Manipur.

He has abandoned the surname 'Haokip' and indicated that others who acknowledge the Thadou tribe's separate identity have begun replacing their surnames with 'Thadou' en masse, though the formal process will take time.

During Ningol Chakkouba, an important Meitei festival celebrated after Diwali where brothers welcome sisters from their marital homes for a feast, Thadou shared images from an event where a local club welcomed him.

"The programme beautifully reflected the idea of Manipur, inclusivity and unity that leaves no community behind... During the gathering, I also shared a few thoughts on the current challenges and the situation of internally displaced persons belonging to our indigenous ethnic communities in the state," Thadou remarked.

"I emphasised that separatism of any kind, including 'Kuki' ideology, stands against the very idea of Manipur, an idea built on coexistence, cultural integrity, and shared destiny. Every community has its own distinct identity and history that must be preserved and understood in its true form. It is important that no community be misrepresented or wrongly labeled," he stated.

"As a member of the Thadou community, I firmly believe in protecting our cultural identity while working hand in hand with all who believe in peace and unity. Let us reaffirm our collective resolve to defend the integrity of Manipur and strengthen the bonds that make us one people," he added.

In August, a Thadou tribe leader from Assam who participated in a Manipur peace meeting was abducted, tortured, and killed by Kuki militants. Nehkam Jomhao, the 59-year-old chairman of the Thadou Literature Society, was murdered at his residence in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, according to statements from Thadou civil society organizations.

These organizations have claimed that "Kuki militants and supremacists" oppose the Thadou tribe's assertion of their distinct identity separate from the Kuki umbrella and are determined to prevent peace from returning to neighboring Manipur.

The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) in Assam acknowledged that five of its insurgents were involved in the murder but claimed they acted independently without the organization's authorization. The KRA Assam has agreed to cooperate with the police investigation.

Sources indicate the investigation has uncovered a connection to a Manipur village from which one of the arrested suspects originated, suggesting interstate coordination among Kuki insurgents in planning the murder. Investigation details will be presented to an Assam court next month.

Numerous Kuki tribe villages exist in the hills surrounding the Meitei-dominated valley. The ongoing ethnic clashes have resulted in over 250 deaths and displaced nearly 50,000 people internally.