Support demand to include Meetei in list of Scheduled Tribes

17th August, 2021

WMC works for the Meetei community across the states and nations, especially in Myanmar and Bangladesh. We do what we believe is right. We also respect every community. Population-wise, Meetei is smaller than Naga and Chin-Kuki groups in the Northeast.

Meetei leaders had wrongly identified the Meetei people as a major Indian community claiming Aryan lineage at the time of merger when we were asked to identify ourselves whether we belong to indigenous tribal groups or not. This had forfeited the natural rights of the indigenous Meetei people, neither they can claim indigenous rights nor can they be Aryans. And hence they can only live in the valley which constitutes 10% of the state and the remaining 90% of Manipur is reserved for the indigenous tribal groups. The fact is now Meetei are not rightful citizens in Manipur.

Moreover the shifting population has caused serious demographic imbalance. And to make it worse there are no constitutional protections of any sort for the indigenous Meetei people so that they can live securely among the 1.3 billion-plus Indians.

Hence, after considering the matter WMC has decided to support the demand of STDCM Manipur urging the Manipur government to recommend to include Meetei in the list of Scheduled Tribes and WMC has solid reasons to do so. WMC is also supporting the Meetei community in Assam who has been demanding the same since 2010.

Therefore WMC earnestly appeal to the governments of Manipur and Assam to do justice by sending recommendation to the Government of India as soon as possible.

WMC request all the leaders of the political parties and all community leaders of the Northeast to help and support the Meetei people in their attempt to include them in the list of Scheduled Tribes because they are indigenous people like any other indigenous people in the Northeast who are already listed in the ST list in the interest of all the indigenous communities of the region

Yambem Arun Meetei
Secretary General
CEC - World Meetei Convention