TSA Says FoH’s Indigenous Pillar Not a Legally Recognized Classification of Manipur’s Indigenous Groups

The Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) has issued a clarification regarding the Indigenous Pillar recently unveiled by the Federation of Haomee (FoH) at Sawombung Kabui Khunjao, Imphal East, on October 6.

According to the TSA, while the FoH’s initiative aims to promote cultural unity and preserve the Yek Salai system, the list of 25 communities engraved on the Indigenous Pillar does not represent a government-authorized or legally defined classification of indigenous groups in Manipur.

Citing the Manipur Inner Line Permit (ILP) (Amendment) Rules, 2022 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, the TSA stated that the State officially recognizes three indigenous categories—Meitei or Meetei, Meitei-Pangal (Manipuri Muslims), and recognized Scheduled Tribes comprising 33 tribes under Article 342(1) of the Indian Constitution.

The association noted that while the Meitei community, represented by FoH President Sapamcha Jadumani and others, may express cultural solidarity through such initiatives, it does not represent all Meiteis or the full indigenous diversity of Manipur. The TSA further pointed out that 24 of the 25 communities named on the pillar are already listed under the Scheduled Tribe Category, mostly associated with the broader Naga ethnic family.

“The exclusion of Thadou, Hmar, Mizo, Zomi, and other non-Naga Scheduled Tribes from the FoH’s pillar should not be viewed as marginalization but as a limited cultural expression by certain communities,” the release stated.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace and unity, the TSA recalled the joint understanding reached on August 6, 2025, between the Thadou community and major Manipuri civil society organizations like COCOMI, AMUCO, FOCS, and AT, emphasizing territorial integrity and peaceful coexistence.

The TSA urged the public not to be misled by misinformation portraying the FoH’s Indigenous Pillar as an exclusionary act, stressing that it should not be seen as a representation of all indigenous peoples of Manipur.

“The Indigenous Pillar should not be taken as a divisionary symbol against any tribe but as a specific cultural commemoration by certain groups,” the statement concluded.