Thadou Inpi Manipur boycotts Sangai Fest

IMPHAL, Nov 19 : The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) has expressed concern and objection to the decision of the Government to organize Sangai Festival at a time when thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are still struggling with unresolved grievances, inadequate facilities, and uncertainty about rehabilitation.
In a statement issued by its joint general secretary Manggou Thadou, TIM said that prioritising a tourism festival over humanitarian responsibilities reflects misplaced priorities and insensitivity to the suffering of displaced families, however significant the festival may be.
The Chief Secretary’s last-minute appeal described the Sangai Festival as a testament to the resilient spirit and vibrant heritage of Manipur, and as a catalyst for hope, opportunity, economic growth and unity. However, it is questionable to speak of resilience when the Government is unable to properly manage the IDP crisis or present a clear roadmap for peace, restoration and long-term settlement, it added.
TIM also said that the so-called vibrant heritage cannot be meaningfully showcased when thousands of citizens continue to live in trauma, instability, and deprivation.
What the people urgently need is clarity, hope and a concrete roadmap for peace, restoration and rehabilitation, not a tourism festival, it said and asserted Manipur is not yet ready to host a tourism festival.
Saying that economic acceleration, market linkages and investment opportunities cannot succeed without peace, stability, and meaningful rehabilitation, TIM maintained that no festival can substitute the fundamental responsibility of restoring homes, dignity and security to displaced citizens.
The Government has highlighted expenditure figures and rehabilitation packages for IDPs through its release yesterday; however, there is a clear disconnect between the figures announced by the Government and the actual situation on the ground., TIM added.
Stating that there is no clarity on how many families have been resettled, how many houses have been rebuilt under the Rs 180 crore fund, or how much of it has been used, TIM pointed out that relief camps still lack basic sanitation, clean water, healthcare, mental health support and education.
There is also no transparency on the status of new public assets proposed under the Rs 250 crore allocation, nor any timeline for their completion, TIM continued.
Saying that the claim that the Sangai Festival represents unity is contradicted by the 'deliberate' exclusion of the Thadou community and other Scheduled Tribes from cultural representation in the planned upcoming programme, TIM maintained that the festival cannot genuinely reflect the unity of the State without the participation of all 33 Scheduled Tribes during the 10-day event, or with the exclusion of even a single tribe.
The refusal to include Thadou cultural items in recent State events, the disregard for Thadou-led peace and community-understanding efforts, and the rejection of TIM’s demand for a third-category IDP classification for those living outside Manipur deeply hurt pro-peace supporters,  it said.
Suggesting that the inclusion of Thadou representation may create controversy by the officials exposes selective politics and raises the question of whether only disruptive voices are treated as stakeholders, TIM asked and added that this approach encourages unrest and sets a dangerous precedent that undermines law, harmony and democratic values.
TIM went on to state that the Government appears insensitive and unwilling to understand the emotions and suffering of the people, and is attempting to bulldoze public sentiment by pushing forward with the Sangai Festival.
From the very beginning, the intention behind organizing this festival has not reflected sincerity or goodwill toward the affected communities, it claimed.
TIM said that it will boycott the Sangai Festival until visible progress is made, and until transparency and accountability are demonstrated with verifiable data and physical evidence.
The Government must prioritise humanitarian responsibilities before celebrating resilience or showcasing cultural heritage, it said and asserted that Manipur cannot claim unity while excluding legitimate peaceful voices and grievances of the Thadou community.
TIM urged the Government to act with fairness, empathy and sincerity.