Imphal, August 9: Indigenous leaders from the northeast states gathered at the City Convention Centre in Imphal and observed World Indigenous Day 2025 on Saturday.
Hosted by the Indigenous People’s Forum, Manipur (IPFM), under the aegis of the North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF), the event was held under the theme “Indigenous People’s Rights to Self-Determination: A Pathway for Food Security and Sovereignty.”
The event saw the participation of prominent indigenous leaders and political figures from the Northeast India region and adopted a collective resolution to resist illegal immigration in the region. The leaders also pledged to safeguard ancestral lands and preserve cultural heritage as one voice and one movement to ensure the survival of indigenous people.
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The indigenous leaders in attendance included Pradyot Manikya Deb Barma, the royal scion of Tripura and founder of the Tipra Motha party; Anup Chetia, chairman of the North East Indigenous People’s Forum (NEIPF); RK Meghen, alias Sanayaima, former chairman of UNLF; Lamlai MLA Khongbantabam Ibomcha; Tripura MLA Ranjit Debbarma; Assam MLA Ponakon Baruah; and women’s activist Bina Laxmi Nepram.
Addressing the event as the chief guest, Tipra Motha leader Pradyot urged the indigenous people of the northeast to stand united and fight against the influx of illegal immigrants, which poses a significant threat to the identity, ancestral lands, distinct culture, and demographic balance of the original settlers.
Pradyot maintained that deporting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar from the region would not be wrong when the United States President Donald Trump could deport Indian citizens from America.
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The head of the Royal House of Tripura also emphasised the need for more collaboration to strengthen the common cause of the indigenous people of the northeast region.
“Unity has to be consistent and persistent. It is very easy to divide us today. We are divided in the name of religion, language, political parties, and communities. However, all these divisions are artificial,” he said.