Context: Manipur Chief Minister has said that the state government may consider setting up a committee to discuss the Scheduled Tribe status of Kukis in the state.

Background:

• The Manipur conflict, initiated in early May, originated from a High Court directive suggesting the examination of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community.
• This proposal faced opposition from the Kuki-Zo tribe, who view it as a potential erosion of their privileges due to the Meiteis' political and numerical dominance in the state.
• The Chief Minister's proposal to reassess ST status has triggered strong reactions from Kuki-Zomi organizations, escalating the ongoing ethnic strife in the region.

Need for Review:

• The dispute arose when Maheshwar Thounaojam, a Meitei leader from the Republican Party of India (Athawale), submitted a representation to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, advocating for the exclusion of Kukis from Manipur's ST list.
• The Ministry forwarded the representation to the state government, emphasizing the necessity for the state's recommendation before any further action.

Government's Response:

• There is a possibility of forming a committee to deliberate on the ST status of Kukis in Manipur. However, this initiative has faced staunch opposition from Kuki-Zomi organizations, who accuse the state government of favoring Meiteis and exacerbating the existing ethnic conflict.

Kuki-Zo Tribe's Perspective:

• The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi, the apex body of Kuki tribes in Manipur, strongly condemned any effort to alter the ST status of the Kuki-Zo community.
•  The ITLF accused the government of colluding with Meitei groups, asserting that removing the community from the ST list violates constitutional safeguards and perpetuates injustice and discrimination.

Zomi Council Steering Committee's Opposition:

• The Zomi Council Steering Committee (ZCSC) also expressed opposition, considering the move a clear attempt to rewrite history and widen existing divides.
• The ZCSC objected to the Chief Minister's request to remove the Free Movement Regime along the Myanmar border, viewing it as a diversion from addressing the root cause of ethnic violence – the Meitei community's desire for ancestral tribal lands and privileges.

Kuki-Zo Tribe:

• The Kuki Tribe is an ethnic community composed of various tribes originally residing in the North-Eastern states of India, such as Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam, as well as parts of Burma (now Myanmar) and the Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.
• The generic term "Kuki" was applied to these tribes during colonial rule.
• In Manipur, where the majority of Kuki tribes live in the hills, they currently constitute 30% of the state's total population.
• Although absent in Arunachal Pradesh, Kuki tribes are present in all other Northeast Indian states. Approximately fifty Kuki tribes in India are officially recognized as scheduled tribes.
• Marriage alliances typically occur within their own community, and historically, they followed animist beliefs, worshiping various deities and spirits. However, over the past 90 years, a majority of Kuki individuals have adopted Christianity as their religion.
• The Kuki community adheres to its own customary laws and village councils. The term "LAL" is used to refer to the village chief, who plays a crucial role in resolving social, religious, and marital disputes.
• These village chiefs, over time, have become integral figures in addressing various issues within the Kuki community.