BY PC Bureau
April 11, 2025 – The Meitei Heritage Society, a prominent civil society organization dedicated to preserving Manipur’s cultural heritage, issued a scathing rebuke today against six Chin-Kuki groups for their April 9 statement threatening to block the Meitei community’s annual pilgrimage to Thangjing Hills. Labeling the declaration “unconstitutional” and a “blatant threat,” the society condemned it as an attack on religious freedom and a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating tensions in Manipur.
In a press statement released from New Delhi, the society underscored the centuries-old tradition of the Meitei pilgrimage to Thangjing Ching, the sacred hilltop shrine of Ibudhou Thangjing, revered as the guardian of the mountains. “This illegal statement by the Chin-Kuki groups is akin to barring Hindus from Kailash Parbat or Muslims from Mecca,” the statement read. “It is a direct assault on our religious freedom and right to movement.”
The society accused Chin-Kuki groups of a pattern of obstructing Meiteis from accessing hilltop temples, citing incidents of desecration at Thangjing Ching, including the erection of a cross and attempts to rename the hill during the ongoing crisis. They described the latest warning as a calculated move to “engineer a fresh round of violence” and undermine peace efforts spearheaded by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Our Press Release on the threat issued by Chin-Kuki groups threatening Meiteis against going for their annual pilgrimage to the Thangjing Ching.
The act is clearly designed to engineer a fresh round of violence by provoking the Meiteis.
We strongly urge the authorities to take… pic.twitter.com/zB6mH8nJmY
— Meitei Heritage Society (@meiteiheritage) April 11, 2025
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Pointing to the broader context, the Meitei Heritage Society alleged that Chin-Kuki militants and affiliated organizations are prolonging instability in Manipur to bolster demands for a separate land. They criticized both the central and state governments for their “prolonged inaction” in addressing such provocations, warning that this has emboldened further violations. The society called for “immediate and decisive action” to hold the groups accountable and deter future anti-constitutional acts.
The statement comes amid rising concerns over the planned visit of the Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei armed outfit, to the Laibung of Ibudhou Thangjing in Thangting Hills on April 13. While the society refrained from directly addressing the group’s intentions, its statement highlights the volatile atmosphere fueled by the Chin-Kuki warning and subsequent Meitei mobilization.
Meanwhile, fears of renewed violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur have intensified as the Arambai Tenggol, a controversial Meitei armed group, announced plans to hold a traditional ceremony at the sacred Laibung of Ibudhou Thangjing in Thangting Hills on April 13. The group’s April 9 press release, issued by its Bishnupur District Quick Response Team, warned “outsiders” with harmful intentions of facing action, raising concerns among Kuki-Zo groups who see the move as a potential threat.
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In response, Kuki-Zo civil society organizations issued a joint statement on April 9, condemning any Meitei movement into the hills as a “direct challenge” and holding violators of buffer zones—set up after deadly clashes in May 2023—responsible for consequences. They urged the government to ensure safety and maintain the status quo to avoid escalation.
The standoff highlights Manipur’s fragile ethnic divide, with buffer zones separating Meitei-dominated valleys from Kuki-Zo hill areas. Despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s March 8 deadline for restoring peace, free movement remains elusive, and the risk of conflict looms large.
