"Thadou, Paite, Hmar, Vaiphei are not Kuki"

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 31: In a bold assertion of the distinct identities of various communities living in Manipur, Michael Lamjathang Haokip, secretary of Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), has declared that the Thadou, Paite, Hmar, and Vaiphei peoples are not Kukis.
He made this statement during a public meeting held at THAU Ground as a part of the Manipur Kanba Khongchat organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) today.
Addressing the gathering, he emphasised that Manipur is home to a diverse community, a fact highlighted by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his visit to the State.
Claiming that the Government of India (GoI) has been waging a "proxy war" in Manipur by colluding with Kuki narco-terrorists, he urged the people to stand united to protect the integrity of Manipur.
Lamjathang Haokip further emphasised that the Thadou people, historically known as Khongjais, will always stand firm in support of Manipur’s unity and integrity.
Thadou people are not Kukis, he reiterated.
He also mentioned that a historic meeting was held in Imphal on August 5, 2025, where various civil society organisations, including COCOMI and AMUCO, reaffirmed that the Thadous are not Kukis.
Stating that the Thadou people will always protect their identity, he affirmed that Thadous are free to live and move about in Imphal, which he described as a symbol of Manipur's unity.
Further claiming that the ongoing crisis in Manipur, which has persisted since May 3, 2023, is the result of a proxy war waged by the Government of India in collusion with Kuki militant groups, he argued that the GoI’s decision to sign the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups is detrimental to the people of Manipur.
Understanding the history of Manipur and fostering peaceful coexistence among the communities that have been living together for generations are essential to safeguarding the State’s integrity, he said.
TIM has been advocating for the deportation of immigrants who arrived in Manipur after 1961, he said and called for unity among the hills and the valley people of Manipur to protect the State, which has a history spanning over 2,000 years and covers an area of 22,327 square kilometres.
"Let's protect Manipur that has been passed down to us by our ancestors," he appealed.
Saying that the Government of India should not support illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh in Manipur, Lamjathang Haokip called for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the State to identify and deport such immigrants.
He also said that the GoI should stop any attempt to balkanise Manipur.
The indigenous communities of Manipur will continue to suffer as long as the GoI collaborates with Kuki militant groups, he said and emphasised the need for unity among the indigenous communities to resist the proxy war and geopolitical maneuvers that are harmful to Manipur.
Lamjathang Haokip said that innocent Thadou people are being held hostage by Kuki narco-terrorists at gunpoint to spread their agenda and create enemity with the Meiteis.
However, today, the Thadou people are safe and secure in Imphal, as the people of Manipur recognize them as an indigenous community of the State, not as Kukis, he said.
Not just the Thadous, the innocent Vaiphei, Paitei, and Hmar people who love Manipur, are also being intimidated by hostile forces, the Thadou Inpi Manipur leader said and expressed confidence that the Thadou people, currently in the hill districts, will one day return to Imphal.
Manipur will witness the true unity of its people one day, he added.
Asserting that the Kukis are those who were involved in conflicts with the Nagas in 1993, with the Paite in 1997, and with the Meiteis since May 3, 2023, he added that there is no distinct tribe called "Kuki" in Manipur.
He further stated that the Kukis are those who entered Manipur illegally and have plotted to disintegrate the State.
Calling for unity among the people of Manipur, Lamjathang Haokip said that TIM will fully support the rehabilitation of displaced people to their respective places.