Mar 9, 2012

Child Soldier

~ T. Zamlunmang Zou @ Pupu Zou

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION
Over 20 million children of conflict are out of school. Education is often forgotten.”
~ Angelina Jolie, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
A child soldier is anyone under the age of eighteen who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity. Child soldiers are boys and girls who fight in adult wars, missing out on the safe childhood that many of us take for granted, but to which every child is entitled according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.[1] 
According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers:  “Child soldiers perform a range of tasks including participation in combat, laying mines and explosives; scouting, spying, acting as decoys, couriers or guards; training, drill or other preparations; logistics and support functions, portering, cooking and domestic labor; and sexual slavery or other recruitment for sexual purposes.” [2]

Jul 26, 2011

I Mou Vanken Dan Uh (Our Dowry System)

India gam sunga kolte’n a ta nei chiengua ana mullit mama uleh ana ki khuul jel jel na zieh uh tanu – ta numei nei zieh ahi nuom leng hi. Bang zieh a tanu nei zieh a tam bang silte pieng adiei? Tuni’a i gen nuom mou vanken i chi te zieh a hi nuom deu hi. Kolte’n atanu te uh a haah chiengun a nei a lam teng uh seng in innkal kitawi jen in pang vevaw uhi. Tuaban ah a tanu uh kiteenpi ding ten a dei jaja uh ana iih thei jel uhi. Tuatham lou in tanu nei te’n a du, a dei u zong lei ngam vevaw lou in a mu sun sun uh a kim khat a tanu te uh haahna ding in saving ana bawl vevaw uhi.

Jun 21, 2011

What's Wrong With Sadar Hills District Demand?

~ T. Zamlunmang Zou @ Pupu Zou

It has been more than 30 years since the demand for creation of Sadar Hills as a full-fleged district started way back in the early 1970s. Two outstanding records have been created out of this demand. Th Lupheng, a Social Worker from Saikul opine that: "One, the people of Sadar Hills created history for demanding a mere district for more than 30 years without a break. Secondly, the State Government of Manipur too created history for putting a genuine demand of the people on hold for than 30 years". I think the State Govt. is taking pride for being able to suppress and neglect a people’s movement for a mere district for such a long period. A good job indeed! but a shameful pride. It is high time for the State govt. to come out with valid reasons to justify for its act of suppression and negligence of a genuine & rightful demand of the people. In the past, we came across with the State govt. racking up some ‘not-much-important’ matters like the boundary issue, consensus issue etc. etc... If these issues are the real hindrances to the inauguration of Sadar Hills as a full-fleged district? Or any other else? Let’s see how far the so-called problems (as stated by the State govt.) have any merit worth consideration or not.

A Tribute to my Beloved Father on Father's Day

As I was thinking about writing a tribute to my Dad, I thought — How can I say a few words that do justice to all of the years of love and strength that Dad gave me? I hope that the real tribute to Dad will be the actions of my lives — that I am a testament to the love and lessons that he instilled in me!

As I’ve been thinking about my Dad this past week, finally coming to grips with the inevitable, I thought “How can I tell a story of my Dad that conveys the message of what his love and strength has meant to me. Like my Dad, I guess I’ll do it by telling a story whose underlying message teaches the lesson of his life to me.

Had my dad been alive, how will the world looks;
Had my dad been alive, how will I look at the world.
Had my dad been alive, where would I be;
Had my dad been alive, what would I do?

Oh, Dad! I wish you could have hold your life till today,
Oh, Dad! I wish I have a dear daddy to be my side;
Oh, Dad! When I see young kids holding and running by their dad’s side,
I wish you are still alive to hold me tight.

May 28, 2011

Communal Harmony: Our Greatest Challenge

~ T. Zamlunmang Zou @ Pupu Zou,

The theme ‘of Gandhi’s teachings is that the individual must rise above fear, jealousy and hate. When such individuals combine themselves into a community, the problem of communal jealousy and discord will disappear. [Human Kabir]

When people talk about communal harmony, they usually referred to different religions, beliefs, cults, cultures and practices, but I would like to refer in a narrow minded focal length referring our own society i.e. CHIKIM (Kuki, Mizo, Zomi).

Manipur, in such a tiny state, the non-Naga tribals, precisely the Kukis: related in blood is suffering from CHDS (Communal Harmony Deficiency Syndrome) since some decades ago. The main cause of this CHDS could be the creation of the British rulers or the tribes recognition in the 1950s by the Indian parliament. Taking advantage of this division, the tribal leaders in order to keep themselves in power, they deliberately adopted a policy of alienating others for their own tribes’ interest.