Thadou tribe seeks to resume live broadcast

Imphal, Dec 30
Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has asked the programme head of All India Radio (AIR) or Akashvani in Imphal for inputs on recruiting staff for resuming live broadcast in the Thadou tribe's language and other major dialects of the border State.
The attempt to bring back live radio programming in the Thadou language from Akashvani in Imphal has been billed as a huge step in reconciliation and peace in the State where Meitei-Kuki clashes began in May 2023.
The public broadcaster's letter to the Akashvani Imphal chief on December 12 came in response to a request by the tribe's representative body, Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), which asked Akashvani in Imphal to either bring back its Thadou language staff or announce fresh recruitment of staff from all communities whose dialect or language will be used to resume live broadcast.
The Thadou language staff had left Imphal valley after the outbreak of ethnic hostilities in May 2023. The live programming in the tribe's language also stopped since then.
The tribe's representative body said a major concern has been the "misidentification of Thadou as Kuki, which has been a source of misunderstanding and tension." This is no longer the case, TIM said, and referred to a significant meeting on inter-community cooperation and peace that tackled the problem of "misidentification".
"Staff members need not panic regarding these past misidentifications, as the covenant reflects mutual respect and commitment to peaceful coexistence," TIM said.
Prasar Bharati in a letter to the Thadou tribe's body on November 11 said that as per information given by Akashvani Imphal, "the programmes of all the major dialects, including Thadou (presently consisting of recorded songs only), are aired regularly from Akashvani Imphal."
"The Thadou programmes are currently being aired daily from 5 pm to 5.30 pm," Prasar Bharati said, referring to comments sent by Akashvani Imphal.
"A proposal for holding fresh auditions for the major dialects of Manipur, including Thadou, has been sent to the zonal office and the Directorate of Akashvani for taking necessary action," the public broadcaster said, highlighting the process is for all communities.
Explaining why it was important to go for fresh recruitment if the previous staff do not turn up in the attempt to restart live Thadou language radio programming, TIM said in a letter to Akashvani Imphal, "... The smooth resumption of the Thadou broadcast - [is] a vital medium for preserving the Thadou lan- guage, culture, and socio-cultural identity, and a significant step toward peacebuilding and community restoration in Manipur," TIM said.
The Thadou tribe body said the live radio initiative also comes in the wake of the tragic assassination of its community leader Nehkam Jomhao, recognised as a "Manipur peace martyr" from the Thadou community. He was killed by Kuki insurgents in Assam's Karbi Anglong on August 31, after he participated in peace meetings aimed at fostering community understanding.
"His sacrifice underscores the risks faced by those working for peace and the commitment of the Thadou community to justice, peace, non-violent resolutions and the territorial integrity of Manipur," TIM said in a statement.
The Thadou tribe in what its leaders called a "historic" event had released a 10-point declaration to protect the tribe's distinct identity and heritage at the Thadou Convention held in Assam's Guwahati in November 2024.
The Thadou Convention's declaration emphasised on the tribe's distinct ethnic identity having its own language, culture, traditions, and history.
"Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki... Thadou is one of the original 29 native/indigenous tribes of Manipur, India, that were all simultaneously and duly recognised as independent Scheduled Tribes of Manipur under the 1956 Presidential Order, Government of India," the declaration stated. NDTV