The Kuki Inpi is the traditional form of government of the tribal Kuki people, made up of clan chiefs and village chiefs. After becoming dormant in the early 20th century, it was revived in 1993 in order to safeguard the Kuki people against ethnic conflicts. It currently functions as a social network of the leaders of the community.
The traditional system of government of the Kuki people was called Kuki Inpi. It had an upper house, called Upa Inpi, and a lower house, called Haosa Inpi. Both of them were made up of Kuki clan chiefs ("Phung Upas") and village chiefs ("Kho Haosas"). The king of Tripura was the symbolic head of the government, referred to as "Kumpi".
After the advent of the British colonial rule, the Kuki Inpi government became dormant, even though the village chiefs continued to function in their traditional roles. The Kukis believe that, after the independence of India and Myanmar, the governments of these nation-states failed to safeguard the Kuki populations. It is said that between 1990 and 1998, 360 Kuki villages were destroyed and 900 Kuki people were killed, across the states of Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Chin State.
The present organisation of Kuki Inpi was revived on 29 June 1993 at Kuki Inn in Imphal. A special Kuki tribal leaders meeting attended by 232 leaders voted to revive the organisation under this name, rejecting other proposed titles such as "Kuki Security Council" and "Kuki Zomi Council". This organisation was named "Kuki Inpi Manipur". Similar organisations were soon formed in the states of Nagaland, Assam and others. Kuki Inpis were also formed in Delhi[1] and the United States.[2]
An apex body of Kuki Inpis called "Kumpipa" was also formed, with a president Athong Limthang Sompijang. The Kuki Inpi of Nagaland distanced itself from the other inpis.
Kuki Inpi Manipur is headed by Ch. Ajang Khongsai in 2023.[3] There are also district-level Kuki Inpis in Manipur.[3]
In the wake of the 2023 Manipur violence, Kuki Inpi Manipur called for a separate state for Kuki people be created out of Manipur, under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution. The decision for the call was taken in a cabinet meeting of the governing group on 12 July 2023.[4]