Kabaw Valley
The Kabaw Valley also known as Kubo valley is a highland valley in Myanmar's western Sagaing Division, close to the border with India's Manipur. The valley is located between Heerok or Yoma ranges of mountains, which constitute the present day border of Manipur, and the Chindwin River (also called the Ningthi River). The valley is home to a number of ethnic groups including the some Meitei (Kathe and Paona), or Meilhei by the Thadou people and With the majority being Thadou people, with the rest Kuki people/Zo people and minorities like the Kadu and the Kanan. During the First Anglo-Burmese War, the Manipuri prince Gambhir Singh conquered the Kabaw valley from Burma. It remained under Manipur control for several years. But the Burmese were able to prove to the British Resident, Major Burney, that the valley had been ceded to Burma by the former Manipur King Marjit Singh in 1813. The British were persuaded to hand the valley back to Burma in 1834. The British compensated Manipur for the loss of territory by annual subsidy. Geography 

The Kale–Kabaw Valley is to the west of the Chindwin River valley, separated by a range called Ango Ching (or Ang-go Ching). It is bounded on the west by the Yoma (or Yomadong) range of mountains, the bounding range of Manipur and Chin Hills. The northern section, called the Kabaw valley, is watered by the Yu River, which flows south until Khampat and then breaks through the Ango Ching range to join Chindwin. The southern section, called the Kale valley, is watered by the Myittha River flowing north, which breaks through Ango Ching near Kale. The 1913 Burma Gazetteer describes the valley as being "unhealthy but exceedingly fertile", which is "imperfectly cultivated". It also mentions that the paddy grown in the valley could not be easily taken to the market (in the Chindwin valley or beyond) due to the difficulty of transport through the Ango Ching range. The valley used to have three principalities based at Thaungdut
(known as "Samsok" or "Samjok" in Manipur),
Khampat,
and Kale. Thaungdut/Samsok and Khampat were jointly invaded by King Kiyamba of Manipur and the king of Pong in 1467 CE, and divided among themselves. Kale appears to have remained independent, at least for a time. Thus the name "Kabaw Valley" applies to the valley north of Khampat, while the southern valley retains the name "Kale". The two are jointly referred to as "Kale-Kabaw Valley". After a 1758 invasion by emperor Alaungpaya of Burma, a market and village at Tamu appear to have developed, overshadowing Khampat. By the end of the 19th century, when the British took over Burma, the "Tamu Township" was considered synonymous with the Kabaw Valley. History

The Chronicles of Manipur, called Cheitharol Kumbaba state that, in 1470 CE, King Kiyamba of Manipur and King Choupha Khekkhompa of Pong (identified with the state of Mogaung) conquered together the principalities of Thaungdut and Khampat:

"Kyangs" refers to "Chins", the Burmese name for the tribes inhabiting the Northern Arakan Yomas, who were called "Kukis" on the Indian side of the border. After their victory, the two kings divided the conquered land among themselves, with Khampat and some part of Thaungdut (possibly the northern part of the Kabaw Valley) going to Manipur, and Thaungdut in the Chindwin River valley going to Pong. Thaungdut, a Shan principality, appears to have remained for a considerable period, possibly as a subsidiary of Pong, but nothing more is heard of Khampat after this conquest. Around 1555, the King Bayinnaung of the Toungoo dynasty unified all of present day Burma (Myanmar), conquering or receiving tribute from all the Shan kingdoms in the north. His prestige was so great that the Manipur kingdom is said to have become a tributary. Some time after Bayinnaung, Manipur declared independence, but the relations with Burma continued as late 1704, when Manipur offered a princess in marriage to the Toungoo emperor. Border raids in both the directions occurred during the intervening period. In 1647 and 1692, Manipur is said to have raided Thaungdut and the empire sent levies to defend it. Manipuris also acquired horsemanship from the Burmese during this period, and refined their skills by playing Polo as a regular pastime. During the reign of Garib Niwaz (), when the Toungoo empire became considerably weak, the Manipuris raided all the way to Sagaing, opposite the capital Ava, burnt villages and monasteries and carried off captives. Retribution to Manipur was delivered after the Toungoo dynasty was replaced by the Konbaung dynasty in Burma, with Alaungpaya coming to the throne in 1752. Alaungpaya personally invaded Manipur in 1758, causing considerable damage. He left after thirteen days, leaving forces permanently garrisoned at Tamu and Thaungdut. A more devastating invasion was made by his successor Hsinbyushin in 1764 capturing numerous captives. The ruler Bhagyachandra fled to Assam, where he remained for four years. Further raids continued till 1782 and Bhagyachandra's efforts to regain his throne were repeatedly repulsed. After 1782, Manipur appears to have been left alone in Bhagyachandra's hands, but raids on the Kabaw Valley are mentioned in the chronicles. In 1804, chiefs of fourteen outlying villages, including Tamu and Thaungdut, are said to have paid tribute to Bhagyachandra. After Bhagyachandra's death, his sons quarreled for the throne, inviting Burmese interference. Marjit Singh, who wanted to usurp the throne from his brother Chourjit Singh, went to the Burmese King Bodawpaya, taking gifts and seeking his help. In 1813, Bodawpaya moved forward bases into the Kabaw Valley, ousted Chourjit Singh from Manipur and installed Marjit Singh as the king of Manipur. In return Marjit Singh ceded Kabaw Valley to Burma. Marjit Singh's insubordination to Bodawpaya's successor Bagyidaw in 1819 led to a final Burmese conquest of Manipur, and changed the Burmese policy from a demand for tribute to indirect administration through a puppet ruler. A permanent garrison was stationed in Manipur to back the  installed administration. The Burmese occupation lasted seven years and ended only with the First Anglo-Burmese War. War and settlement 

The four sons of Bhagyachandra ensconced themselves in the neighbouring kingdom of Cachar, whose ruler Gonvinda Chandra was their relative. From there, they sought British help to oust the Burmese from Manipur. Help was finally offered after the Burmese occupied Assam and started threatening the states bordering  British Bengal. Gambhir Singh, one of the four sons, was provided funding to raise a 'Manipur Levy' from Manipuri expatriates, with the objective of driving the Burmese out of Manipur. It eventually consisted of 2000 men and was commanded by a British officer, Captain Grant. The British declared war on Burma on 5 March 1824. They proceeded on two fronts: a land invasion of Assam, which commenced immediately, and a naval invasion on the Burmese mainland starting in May 1824. Gambhir Singh's force entered Manipur in June 1825 and found that the Burmese forces had already left the state. They had been apparently recalled to fight against British advances along the Irrawaddy Valley. In January 1826, Gambhir Singh marched to Kabaw Valley, where again only local men were present under the command of the chief of Thaungdut (Samjok). They were ensconced in two stockades, one at Tamu and another on the right bank of the Chindwin River, and were easily taken. By February 1826, the Burmese agreed to all the British terms and signed the Treaty of Yandabo. By the treaty, they relinquished control over all the states bordering British India, including Manipur. It was later recognized that the clause concerning Manipur was rather limited. It stipulated that "should Gumbheer Sing desire to return to that country, he shall be recognised by the King of Ava as Raja thereof". He was not explicitly recognised as independent. Nor was any territory or boundary mentioned. Henry Burney, who was appointed as the British Resident at Ava, was charged with discussing the matter with the Burmese. He ascertained that the Burmese had no wish to claim suzerainty over Manipur. However, they did not accept that Manipur's territory included Kabaw Valley, and wanted it returned. Burney found that tensions were rather high over the issue. After making enquiries, he discovered that King Bogyidaw was firm in his demand for the Kabaw Valley and was quite prepared to renew hostilities for its sake. Several years of negotiations followed. Burney found the Burmese empire compiling the historical chronicles of all the Burmese kingdoms, which were made available to him to study. Based on his own studies, in addition to the Burmese arguments, Burney became convinced of the Burmese claim. In the eventual memorandum  to the British Governor-General, he stated that the Kabaw Valley was in the possession of Burmese kings since 1370 and that, for 12 years prior to the outbreak of the war, it was in continuous Burmese possession. Further, he interpreted the Treaty of Yandabo to mean that Manipur was entitled to recover only those territories that it possessed before the war. Burney's report won the day. The Governor-General acceded to the demand to restore Kabaw Valley to Burma. The transfer took place on 9 January 1834. Grant and Pemberton were dispatched to define the boundary between Manipur and Burma along the Yomadong range, where it still lies. Manipur was compensated by the British government for the loss of its territory by an annual payment of Rs. 6,000. Communities

At the north end of the valley, lies the Manipuri town of Humine, with the first Burmese town being Zedi. The region is mixedly inhabited , Majority being Thadou people with other Kuki people/Zo people and the with some Meeteis, Nepalis, Kados, and Kanans. Moreh, India is the border town in the Manipur, India side while Tamu is in Myanmar. Both are being referred to as the twin border towns of trade in the border region with both town being home to Thadou people . 