Manipur News

IMPHAL, October 30: Indigenous Minority Organisation, Manipur (IMOM) in collaboration with Bungte Chiru Village Authority organised the third one-day cultural exchange programme of Bungte Chiru Area at Bungte Chiru Community Hall.

The cultural exchange programme was graced by United Committee Manipur general secretary Joychand Konthoujam, IMOM vice president Momsokam, Chiru Tribal Union president Areng Jatak and Bungte Chiru Village Authority chairman Thanglenhang as the chief guest, president and guests of honour.

In his keynote address, IMOM president Khupler Kom said IMOM was formed with the aim to unite all the minority communities of the state.

He expressed that minority communities have less population hence their way of life, their demands and sentiments cannot be compared with the majority community.

It is high time to check the status of the minority community in the education section and the felicitation programmes for the outstanding students is being conducted to promote the minority students, he said.

He stated that minorities play an important role in the development of the society as a whole.

Joychandra Konthoujam said there are 39 recognised tribes in Manipur which is an amazing fact. In such a small state like Manipur large number of tribes coexists, he adds.

He lauded IMOM for organising such programmes for creating a platform for the minority community to be acquainted with each other through cultural exchange.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/cultural-exchange-programme-at-bungte-chiru-village/

IMPHAL, Oct 30: India and Myanmar concluded their two-days long meeting on boundary issues today by inking a Memorandum of Understanding to sort out all boundary disputes.

The MoU was signed at the Trade Centre Moreh between officials of the Survey department of both India and Myanmar delegates.

Although the signing of the MoU is confirmed, its content cannot be established as the meeting was conducted in a closed door.

It is also learnt that the meeting was attended by a 15 delegate strong team of Myanmar led by director Survey of Myanmar U-Thet Oo whereas the five delegate strong Indian team was led by director, Survey of India PV Srinivas.

DC, Chandel N Geoffrey and additional DC, Moreh Ksh Robert were among the Indian delegate.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/india-inks-mou-to-resolve-boundary-issue-with-myanmar/

NEW DELHI, October 30 (MIC): Peace Maker Artistes’ Association, Manipur will stage a Shumang Lila play – Nupigee Thamoi Scripted by Manaobi MM and directed by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Yumnam Rajen on November 7 at 6pm at Meghdoot theatre, Copernicus Marg here, in the 6-day long Indian Performances from November 5 to 10, 2014 organised by the Prasiddha Foundation in collaboration with the Sangeet Natak Akademi. The event will be a part of the ongoing 8th Delhi International Arts Festival which commenced from October 28 and would last upto November 28.

The historical play narrates the love and separation of Prince Naothingkhong and Petanga. Naothingkhong was the third son of Emperor Urakonthouba of Manipur (568-663AD). Naothingkhong, a youth of stubbornly character ran away to a far hilly place while his father tried to control about his arrogance character and he found Petanga a beautiful charming girl at the foot hill who was only daughter of Shelloi village chief.

Naothingkhong married with Petanga under a strict promise that she would be queen of Manipur whenever Naothingkhong came to the throne. In the past time Shelloi was a bitter enemy of Urakhonthouba.

But the secret marriage of Naothingkhong and Petanga was noticed by the Shelloi villagers. So the Shelloi villagers revolted to kill of Naothingkhong. But Naothingkhong had a narrow escape through the hole of wall from that house of Petanga as he was a secret concubine of Petanga.

Naothingkhong took asylum under the patronage of Khuman Kwakpa, King of Khuman State. Naothingkhong got married with two girls namely Keirunghanbi and Leima Namul Khambi, daughter of Kwakpa and Shanarakhawa, King of Moirang State respectively in different situations and under political affairs.

Petanga got punishment by the Shelloi villagers about her immoral character. But she secretly escaped Shelloi village and ran away to a far place to save her own life. She was wandering through bushes in day and night for many months. She had neither support nor the chance of survival. She was alone and lamented with tears about the pang of separation from her beloved husband Naothingkhong.

On the other, Naothingkhong learnt the knowledge of political affairs along with other disciplines of education from Luwang Punshiba, who was a great scholar in various subjects. Information was noticed by Petanga that Naothingkhong was ready to ascend on the throne with Keirunghanbi. Naothingkhong ascended the throne with Keirunghanbi as a queen in 688AD.

Meanwhile Petanga entered inside the royal palace to meet the King Naothingkhong. The king pretended not to know her. Petanga submitted the past promise made by Naothingkhong. To reckon with the troublesome, Naothingkhong told her to be seated on his right side. On hearing this, she was tremble of shocking because she would be seated on the left side of her husband Naothingkhong. She did not accept to the proposal of Naothingkhong.

No sooner Petanga transcended to goddess of Yumjao Lairembi just before the eyes of King. Many Demy God and Goddess arrived for receiving of the Goddess. She pronounced to the king that man has no power to realise of true love and man cannot touch the eternity love of truth. Suddenly Petanga vanished from the eyes of king with lamented voice.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/shumang-lila-nupigee-thamoi-to-be-staged-at-delhi-intl-art-festival/

IMPHAL, October 30: The Editors’ Guild Manipur has condemned the callous attitude towards the media community by the State Level Kut Festival organisers, during an emergency executive meeting held this evening at Imphal.

According to a statement of the guild, the meeting chaired by president, A Mobi, took serious note of the State-level Kut organisers’ treating the media community as ‘unwanted guest’ over the years.

The organisers of this year’s Kut festival have extended invitation to a few selected media houses to cover the event, the statement said. This partisan act of choosing a few is predicted to create misunderstanding within the media fraternity, it added.

The statement continued that there are barely 20 media houses, or nearly 30, including Imphal based correspondents in the State, and inviting them cannot be a source of ‘nuisance’ during the festival.

It further said that the festival committee should shirk its partisan outlook; rather the committee should make an effort to reach out to all the media houses. If not the Editors Guild will be compelled to avoid covering the said event, it added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/editors-guild-threatens-to-boycott-kut-festival/

IMPHAL, October 30: Without unity there cannot be any development and all the rich cultures, customs, languages and traditions will all be in vain. One should forgive and forget the bad times to move forward and progress, said former minister RV Minthing.

He was delivering the chief guest’s speech of the XII Indigenous Brothers’ Meet, organised by the League of Fourth World People, Kangleipak here today.

A one-day seminar on ‘Ritual and traditional festivals of all ethnic communities of Kangleipak’ marked the function.

Minthing continued that since time immemorial the people of both the hills and valley have been living together in peace and harmony, so the people should try not to create any differences among the communities and maintain the good relation in all respect.

He said the common language Manipuri should be developed as it is the bridge between all communities of the State.

Manipuri language is the only means to communicate between the different communities, to bring mutual understanding and intimacy among one and all, he added.

Minthing also said that today’s generation should strive for a change to bring a better tomorrow for development and welfare for the people.

A bilingual book of Manipuri grammar written by Ibotombi Khuman was also released by the chief guest, president and the guest of honour during the function.

The function was also attended by Mangpu Karong Kom, president of LFWPK as the functional president and P Dhanakumar Singh, chairman, BOSEM, W Shamjai, president, AMWJU and Mangangcha Keisam Ibomcha, vice president, LFWPK as the guests of honour.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/no-development-without-unity-rv-minthing/

IMPHAL, October 30: A nursing student was allegedly raped in a car by her lover of four months and kept in captivity for three days.

Family members of the student said they were informed by some women who said they were from a certain Tangkhul village and that they had brought the victim to the RIMS hospital on October 29 morning.

The student who is from Bishnupur is presently undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The police have taken her statements whereas the accused is still absconding.

The family also said that they had already registered a missing report of the girl with the Bishnupur police after she went missing.

According to a family member, the accused had identified himself to the girl as Naoba, 26, son of Sunil of Wangjing Wangkhei Leikai.

The two had decided that on October 26 morning Naoba will drive the girl to her hostel at Porompat, Imphal East and had accordingly met at Nambol Bazar with Naoba bringing a car, they said.

However, on the way to Imphal, they stopped at a restaurant in Thangal Bazar and then took a long drive to Nambol around 1:30pm on Naoba’s insistence, the family members said.

While returning from Andro, Naoba stopped the car and said it had broken down and needed repairing, one of the family members said.

“While they were sitting inside the car, Naoba took advantage and raped her.”

Afterwards, he drove on, however, the girl who is a diabetes patient lost consciousness due to the shock and when she regain consciousness she saw the ‘Welcome to Thoubal’ signboard, they said.

Family members also alleged that the man denied all request to inform the girl’s family about her eloping and even threw away her mobile phone.

She again fainted and woke up the next day on October 27 at an unknown hill village, according to family members.

The accused again quarrelled with the girl at the village after he refused to inform her family, however, the next day the village womenfolk told the girl that Naoba was very closed to a sitting MLA and that he is a married man, they said.

That day, after realising that his identity has already been disclosed to the girl, Naoba hurried away from the village, they further claimed.

It is also learnt that the family members were called by the village womenfolk to RIMS only after Naoba failed to return till late that evening.

They were informed by the villagers that her condition was deteriorating and that she was in a very weak state.

The girl’s mother said her daughter was held captive by Naoba who is a married man for three days without even informing her family.

This is an inhumane act and he should be punished for his act, she lamented.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/nursing-student-allegedly-held-captive-and-raped-for-three-days/

IMPHAL, October 30: The Liangmei community celebrated one of its biggest festivals “Chaga Ngee” organised by the State Level Chaga Ngee Celebration Committee (SLCNCC) 2014 at the Tarung Community Hall, Langol here today.

The festival was celebrated under the theme “Promoting Culture in its Purity”.

The celebration was graced by Francis Ngajokpa, minister RD and PR and Economics and statistics, Manipur as the chief guest, TN Haokip, MLA, 59-SAikot Assembly constituentcy of Manipur as the guest of honour and Z Kikhonbou Newmai vice chairman, Hill Area Committee as the president.

Speaking at the function Francis Ngajokpa stated that language development is the need of the hour for the small communities.

He also further asserted that religion and politics should not be the dividing factor for the future society.

Francis Ngajokpa appealed the aspirant’s scholars to give importance to the culture and rich custom of different tribes and to do proper research on it.

TN Haokip said that ethnic identity is preserve by its rich culture.

While delivering keynote address at the function Adibo Newmai, convener (SLCNCC) said that Chaga Ngee or Chaga Gadih is one of the most important function and famous festival of Liangmai Naga tribe. The festival falls in the month of October and is observed every year.

The term Chaga Gadih in simple translation is applied to drawing of lots, luck of fate and also it signifies and shows about love, joy and care with a degree bound by tradition and is originated in its completeness and fulfillment, he added.

He further asserted that during this particular season the Liangmai believes that it is a sin to fight with enemy and to have hatred, jealousy and covetousness, but it is a season of oneness with a bond of love and joy.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/liangmei-community-observes-chaga-ngee-with-pomp-and-gaiety/