Thadou Inpi Manipur Advocates for Recognition of Displaced Persons

Call for Distinct Category for Displaced Thadou Community

Imphal, January 3: The Thadou Inpi Manipur, which serves as the leading organization for the Thadou community, has formally presented a memorandum to Manipur Governor AK Bhalla, Justice Gita Mittal (retired), who chairs the Supreme Court-appointed Committee on Manipur Violence, the Union Home Secretary, and the State Chief Secretary. This memorandum seeks to classify internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Thadou community living outside Manipur as a unique third category eligible for relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement assistance amidst the ongoing unrest in the region.

This action follows a press release from the Chief Secretary dated December 30, 2025, detailing the government's efforts for IDPs.

While acknowledging the ongoing initiatives by both Central and State governments, including the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Package outlined in the Manipur Budget for 2025-26, phased resettlement strategies, security-driven confidence-building actions, and effective monitoring systems, the Thadou Inpi Manipur expressed dissatisfaction regarding the persistent neglect of Thadou IDPs “who have been compelled to seek refuge beyond the borders of Manipur.”

The memorandum pointed out that nearly two years and eight months of conflict have forced numerous Thadou families to evacuate from Manipur.

“These IDPs, currently residing outside the State, are mistakenly perceived as self-sufficient merely because they are not located in government-designated relief camps. This misunderstanding overlooks the significant social, psychological, educational, and economic challenges they endure, including the loss of homes and land, interrupted education for their children, and exclusion from official relief programs,” stated the Thadou Inpi Manipur.

The memorandum emphasized the necessity to acknowledge Thadou IDPs living outside Manipur as a separate category, in addition to the current classifications of IDPs residing in relief camps within the State and those living outside camps or already resettled, or in the process of resettlement, within Manipur.

It underscored that the self-sufficiency exhibited by these displaced families, often achieved through borrowing, informal employment, or community assistance, should not be misinterpreted as economic stability.