𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐊𝐮𝐤𝐢, 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐫

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗹, 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯:
The Thadou community in Manipur has rejected the Kuki identity imposed upon them in colonial and post-colonial connotations and writings misidentifying tham as Kuki. This was announced by the Thadou Community leaders in Guwahati after an important convention held recently. The stand taken by the Thadou community separating themselves from the Kuki identity is seen as a significant development at the backdrop of ethnic disturbances taking place in Manipur. The Northeast Indian state of Manipur is going through a violent phase due to ethnic hostilities between Meiteis and Kukis.

The Thadou community leaders announced in a statement after the convention that the Thadau is a distinct ethnic tribe with its own language, culture, traditions, and history, separate from any other tribe of Manipur, including Kukis. “We are a separate, independent entity from Kuki, asserted the Thadou community leaders. The statement also maintains that the Thadou is one of the 29 indigenous tribes of Manipur, and it was also recognized by the 1956 Presidential Order of Government of India as an independent Schedule Tribe. The statement also requested the government, media, civil society, and all other stakeholders to correctly and respectfully identify Thadou as Thadou with no reference to Kuki-Zo.

It may be mentioned here that, according to the 2011 census, Manipur has a Thadou population of more than 215
000.