Imphal, October 15: The Maring Frontal Organisations (MFO) have formally appealed to the Federation of Haomee and the Committee on Indigenous Pillar Construction to reconsider the inclusion of Khoibu as a separate tribe in the recently unveiled Indigenous Pillar of Haoleipak, held on October 10, 2025.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the MFO expressed deep concern and disappointment over the listing of Khoibu as an independent tribe, asserting that the village is an integral and historic part of the Maring community.
The organisations recalled that a formal letter (Ref. No. 21/MUA/2024) had earlier been submitted to the Federation of Haomee on July 10, 2024, requesting that Khoibu not be listed separately. However, they said the concern was “ignored,” resulting in “considerable dismay” within the Maring community.
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The MFO clarified that Khoibu is not a distinct tribe but an ancient village of the Maring tribe, sharing its historical, linguistic, and cultural identity. The statement highlighted several figures from Khoibu who have played prominent roles in the larger Maring community, including: K. Koshang, the first Maring representative in the Naga National Council (NNC) and former President of the Maring Uparap Assembly, Reikimdar Khaling, his daughter, currently serving as an MCS officer. Ronglo Koshel, founding General Secretary of the Maring Students’ Union (MSU). Mosyel Syelsaangthyel Khaling, former MSU Joint Secretary and current Speaker of the CNPO. Rev. S. Angpham, the first Maring Field Director (Executive Secretary) of the MNBA. Ambika Hongsha, the first Maring missionary (1982–1984), and R. Momo of Biyang, the first Maring evangelist (since 1953).
The MFO further stated that minor dialectical variations within a tribe cannot be grounds for separate ethnic classification, calling such claims “factually inaccurate” and “divisive.” In a statement, the organisations said the decision amounted to a “blatant and unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Maring tribe,” creating division where none previously existed and going against the principles of indigenous unity.
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They added that recognising Khoibu as a separate tribe distorts historical facts and “insults the collective identity of the Maring people.” The MFO alleged that “some leaders in Manipur” were deliberately sowing discord against the Maring community, calling it “a blatant insult and total disrespect to the Maring people as a whole.” “The people of Khoibu village are inseparable from the Maring tribe, traditionally, culturally, linguistically, and historically,” the statement read, noting that many individuals from Khoibu continue to serve in various Maring organisations and had themselves opposed the move for separate recognition.
The MFO urged the Federation of Haomee and the committee to rectify the error and restore the accuracy and integrity of the Indigenous Pillar, emphasizing that the monument’s message “depends on the truthfulness of its content.”