Thadou–Meitei meeting in Imphal marks historic step towards peace – TCI

The Thadou Community International (TCI) has hailed the August 6 “Road to Peace” meeting between the Thadou and Meitei communities in Imphal as a historic milestone, calling it an “unstoppable” step in the Thadou movement for asserting its distinct identity. Organised by the Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou tribe, in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the event proceeded despite alleged attempts by anti-peace groups to derail it.
Valley-based civil society organisations including COCOMI, AMUCO, FOCS, Arambai Tenggol, student bodies, and Ima groups participated in the gathering, which culminated in a “Covenant of Community Understanding.” The agreement formally recognised the Thadou as a distinct ethnic group, separate from the “Kuki” identity, reaffirming mutual respect, peace, and stability.
TCI stated that the event was a continuation of peace initiatives disrupted in May 2023, when violence broke out in Manipur. It recalled that the Thadou Convention 2024 had declared, “Thadou is not Kuki… but an independent Indigenous people,” rejecting the colonial-era term “Kuki.”
However, TCI condemned the confinement of Thadou delegates at The Classic Hotel, Imphal, allegedly by Government of India authorities acting on misinformation from “anti-peace Kuki supremacist groups.” It urged the government to support, rather than suppress, grassroots peace-building efforts.
The organisation also condemned violence and misinformation following the meeting. It alleged that Kuki militant elements assaulted Thadou leader Henkai Singsit in Motbung on August 7 on suspicion of his participation in the talks. TCI linked the attack to KNF(N) and questioned ties between non-SoO and SoO Kuki groups.
Responding to the August 8 statement of Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) denouncing the covenant, TCI reiterated that TIM is the sole apex body representing the Thadou community. It accused KIM of misrepresenting facts and attempting to impose the Kuki identity on other tribes.
TCI highlighted historical instances of what it termed “Kuki supremacist agendas,” dating back to the 1970s, including efforts to rename the Thadou Bible as the Kuki Bible, and accused certain Kuki groups of exploiting the ongoing conflict for political and financial gain. It also cited alleged links between some Kuki leaders and activities such as extortion, arms smuggling, and drug trafficking.
The group expressed concern over the government’s inability to protect Thadou-inhabited areas, which it said have faced persecution by more than 40 Kuki armed groups. Despite this, TCI stressed that the Thadou community has no armed militant groups and remains committed to democracy and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Calling the August 6 event a “new hope” for rectifying historical injustices, TCI urged the government to protect the Indigenous Thadou community, investigate crimes against it, and crack down on militant and online propaganda targeting Thadou leaders and their families.
Quote from Thadou Convention Declaration 2024:
“The Thadou is a distinct and independent ethnic group, completely separate from the Kuki… Any organisation that misrepresents the Thadou as Kuki is illegitimate.”