IMPHAL: The Thadou Convention 2024 began its inauguration vibrantly at Guwahati, wherein the conclave resolved six new organizations that would be exclusively created for the Thadou people.
The event was witnessed to have been a three-day run with leadership and delegates of the whole country even up outside India reaching Guwahati to witness the oneness of Thadoos and its aspirations.
This has formed three newly constituted bodies; namely, Thadou Inpi Mizoram, a body which would try to cater to the cultural and social needs of Thadoos in Mizoram, Thadou Chiefs' Council that focuses on the traditional governance and chieftains' representative councils of the Thadous, and Thadou Human Rights Advocacy is meant to be an initiative at advocacy of rights and welfare of the Thadoos.
Other organizations include the Thadou Academic Forum (TAF), which fosters education and academic activities among the Thadous; the Thadou Senior Citizens Forum (TSCF), an organization concerned with the welfare and interest of elderly Thadou citizens; and Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), an organization representing the Thadou people in Manipur. All these bodies are meant to promote community interaction, raise awareness about rights, and develop cultural identity.
The first day of the convention was the most important meeting where nearly all the leaders and the representatives of the Thadou community were present.
The affair was further graced with the presence of dignitaries from various NGOs stationed in Mizoram, and this speaks to the teamwork spirit among organizations serving the Thadou people. In this first session, the declaration was adopted with ten key points unanimously.
Among them, the most significant statement was the declaration of Thadou as a unique ethnic identity, proclaiming that "Thadou is not Kuki, nor is it beneath Kuki, but an independent entity."
The other important decision taken in the convention was a demand to get formal recognition of Thadou as a different Scheduled Tribe for Assam, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
For the development of the social and economic sectors of this community, this recognition would be required for them to avail governmental benefits and ensure their rights over their culture.
The resolutions of the convention speak to a tremendous commitment to the identity and rights of the Thadou people, marking significant steps toward self-determination and empowerment within the greater socio-political landscape of Northeast India.
As the convention progresses over the next couple of days, it plans to solidify these resolutions and set a robust agenda for the future of the Thadou community, creating solidarity and proactive advocacy toward their collective rights and identity.
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