{"id":13765,"date":"2025-01-23T06:19:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T06:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=13765"},"modified":"2025-09-30T11:38:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T11:38:25","slug":"india-how-misrepresentation-of-hmar-and-zomi-people-made-them-invisible-in-the-conflict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=13765","title":{"rendered":"India: How Misrepresentation of Hmar and Zomi People Made Them Invisible in the Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All the tribes \u2013 Hmar, Kuki and Zomi \u2013 have suffered in this conflict. However, generalisations by the mainstream media, state and vested interest groups have marginalised the smaller communities.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the selected targeting of the Hmar, Kuki, and Zomi tribes by the Meitei community, with the alleged support of state forces since May 2023, Manipur\u2019s crisis has been reported in the media as \u2018Meitei vs. Kuki\/Kuki-Zo\u2019 clash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following decolonial practice, it is important to remediate harmful terminologies towards an ethical journalism that respects the ethnic diversity of the communities involved in the Hmar, Kuki, Zomi vs. Meitei conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misrepresentation by generalisations like \u2018Meitei vs. Kuki\u2019 or \u2018Meitei vs. Kuki-Zo\u2019 are repeatedly perpetuated by the media, state and vested interest groups, that marginalise smaller communities, such as the Hmar and Zomi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six Reasons Why Modi Is Still Silent on Manipur<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

View More<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example would be the November 7, 2024, incident of the alleged rape, murder and burning of a Hmar women. Many national and regional news outlets inaccurately reported the victims merely as \u201cwomen\u201d<\/a> in the Meitei-Kuki conflict or as \u201ctribal women\u201d<\/a>, erasing their distinct \u201cHmar\u201d identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The subsequent incident involving the brutal murder of the 10 Hmar village volunteers was also misreported by the national media as \u201c10 suspected Kuki militants\u201d<\/a> or \u201c10 Kuki-Zo youths\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a podcast interview<\/a> with Ranveer Allahabadia \u2013 popularly known as BeerBiceps \u2013 Rami Niranjan Desai, a self-proclaimed expert on northeast India, further fuels the silencing of Hmar and Zomi identities by bringing them under an \u201cumbrella term\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around the 22nd minute, she says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/em>Kuki is not one tribe per se\u2026 they have many sub-tribes under it\u2026 Mizos in Mizoram are also loosely connected to them. The Chins are also connected to them\u2026 Not every sub-tribe is connected. There is inter-tribal rivalry. But the larger umbrella term is Kuki.<\/em>\u201c <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Desai\u2019s comments \u2013 as an outsider positioning herself to be an expert \u2013 failed to acknowledge the Hmar and Zomi communities who have consistently denied their subsumption under the umbrella usage of \u2018Kuki\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her statement serves as a clear example of why offering perspectives without an in-depth familiarity can be counterproductive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zo ethnic group\u2019s complex composition <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the colonial era, the British imposed terms like Kuki (in Manipur), Chin (in Myanmar), Lushai (Mizos in Mizoram), among others to describe the tribes of the Zo ancestry. In Manipur, the term continues to be imposed by the state, the Meitei community, as well as by pro-Kuki tribe of the Zo ancestry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Kuki\u2019 in colonial terminology is not subscribed by all tribes. For example, the Thadou tribe recently denied<\/a> their association with the Kuki identity<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some members of the Paite, Simte, Vaiphei, Zou tribes, among others, identify themselves as Zomi (meaning Zo people), which is considered to be a generic name. However, certain members of these tribes, such as the Vaiphei and Thadou, subscribe to Kuki identity, insinuating the complexity of an identity that calls for careful consideration of acknowledging how each tribe and members want to identify themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India, Globally: The World’s Eyes on Manipur, MHA’s Stance on VPN Apps and Refugee Discourse<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

View More<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

British administrators like William Shaw (1929, p. 30) in his Notes on the Thadou Kukis <\/em><\/a>wrote, \u201c\u2026 the Kom, Gangte, Vaiphei, Chiru and those of inferior lineage were all under the wing of the Thadous\u2026 and so were then included under the term (Kuki)\u201d (Emphasis mine<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In resistance to such misrepresentation, on June 26, 1942, the Hmar, Vaiphei, Gangte, Kom, Chiru, Anal and Maring tribes held a meeting at Pamzal\/ Mongon-on village where they declared their resolutions that deny Shaw\u2019s imposition of the term Kuki to their tribes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1997, the continual imposition of Kuki identity on smaller tribes resulted in a large-scale conflict between the Kuki and Zomi, leading to death of hundreds, displacement of thousands, and impeding generational economic progress. This implies that self-identification of tribes must be seriously taken into account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the current conflict, the Zomi, Thadou and Hmar directly or indirectly show repeated denial of the colonial terminology \u201cKuki.\u201d For example, the Zomi, would bring up historical evidence of the peace treaty signed post-1997 conflict<\/a> between the Kuki and Zomi (see image 1 and 2) to reaffirm their rejection of the term \u201cKuki\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image 1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this imposition continues, there is a risk of serious intra-ethnic conflict between the Hmar, Kuki, and Zomi. To avoid it, media must step up to take the role of inclusive representation that will avoid inter-tribal tensions across the tribes of the Zo ancestry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media professionals should not assume any identities especially of those tribes belonging to the Zo. To ensure accurate coverage, journalists should ask individuals how they wish to be identified for inclusive representation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s h<\/strong>ow media can responsibly report on Manipur:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Source politics<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The information fed to the media is often dependent on the source, here, the organisations. It is impossible to highlight all active organisations, but Table 1 can help shed some light on how media can approach organisations or individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Table 1: How media can responsibly report on identities of organisations<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Exclusive identities<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      When generalised terminologies are used and identities are misrepresented, it is the ones in Table 2 who are most often harmed and whose histories are at stake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Table 2: Common misrepresentations in Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Inclusive identities<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Table 3 shows a carefully crafted and inclusive identities for media professionals to use for a comprehensive representation of communities in Manipur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"Manipur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Table 3: Inclusive representation of identities in Manipur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        As a member of the Paite-Zomi tribe \u2013 a community whose identity has long been marginalised, like the Hmar \u2013 a unique perspective is brought to these pressing issues. Close family members, relatives, friends and cousins from the Hmar, Kuki, and Zomi tribe in Imphal have lost their lives, homes and were forced to seek refuge in army camps during the violence in Imphal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        All the tribes \u2013 Hmar, Kuki and Zomi \u2013 have suffered in this conflict. It is important for journalists to adopt a more inclusive and accurate portrayal of Manipur\u2019s ongoing conflict against one that is simply reduced to \u2018Meitei vs. Kuki\/ Kuki-Zo\u2019 struggle to favor a majoritarian narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Reference Link:- https:\/\/thewire.in\/politics\/manipur-how-misrepresentation-of-hmar-and-zomi-people-made-them-invisible-in-the-conflict<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        All the tribes \u2013 Hmar, Kuki and Zomi \u2013 have suffered in this conflict. However, generalisations by the mainstream media, state and vested interest groups have marginalised the smaller communities. Despite the selected targeting of the Hmar, Kuki, and Zomi tribes by the Meitei community, with the alleged support of state forces since May 2023, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[24003],"tags":[10994,10991,10996,10997,10988,39,10993,5354,10998,10987,10995,10989,60,10990],"class_list":["post-13765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conflict-security","tag-kuki","tag-conflictt","tag-ethical-journalism","tag-ethnic-diversity","tag-hmar","tag-india","tag-mainstraem-media","tag-manipur","tag-meitei","tag-misrepresentation","tag-termonology","tag-zomi","tag-geopolitics","tag-invisible"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13765"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13767,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13765\/revisions\/13767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}