ZOU ORGANISATION DELHI PRESS RELEASE

Tragic Truck Accident in Manipur claimed 20 innocent lives and injured 34 others.

A tragic Truck Accident took place on 17th January 2008 when the Bridge over the Ngasuan River collapsed under the weight of the Truck. The Ngasuan River is located near Behiang Village in Singngat Sub-Division of Churachandpur District, Manipur. In this accident 20 innocent lives were lost and 34 others sustained serious injuries. The death and the injured include Women and Children. It is reported that the condition of some of those injured and presently hospitalized are very critical.

In order to condole the death and share the pain and grief of the bereaved family members, a Joint Condolence Meeting was held on 18th January, 2008 at Manipur Tikendrajit House, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi under the auspices of the Zou Organization Delhi. The Meeting was attended by hundreds of mourners from various Delhi based organizations from Manipur such as the Zomi Christian Fellowship (ZCF), Kuki Worship Service (KWS), New Testament Baptist Church (NTBC), Mary Grace Children Home (MGCH), Delhi Hmar Welfare Association (DHWA), Tiddim Chin Development Society (TCDS), Young Paite Association Jt. HQ. Delhi(YPA), Zou Sangnaupang Pawlpi (ZSP), Siamsinpawlpi Jt. HQ. Delhi(SSPP), Kuki Students Organization (KSO), Hmar Students Association Jt. HQ. Delhi(HSA), and Khangthah Zuun Pawl (KZP).

One Minute Silence was observed by all the mourners as a mark of respect to the departed souls and expression of heartfelt sympathy to all those who sustained injuries.

Speaking on the occasion, representatives of all the above organizations pointed out that the bridge was newly constructed which was inaugurated as recently as in November 2007. They were agitated to point out that the bridge was constructed by using substandard material, not fit even for making household items, let alone a bridge over the only national highway of the area. The quality of wood used for construction of the bridge was so dismal that it could be torn apart with naked hand. To that extend, all the Speakers strongly condemned the callous attitude of the Government of Manipur. The Government of Manipur is solely responsible for the tragedy and therefore the entire mourners very strongly demand that the following action be taken immediately:

1. The Government of Manipur must accept its responsibility for the tragedy since the Bridge collapsed as it was constructed by using dismal quality of wood that could be torn apart with the naked hand and as such it was unable to withstand the weight of a single loaded Truck;

2. The Government of Manipur must institute a Judicial Enquiry to thoroughly investigate the circumstances under which the bridge collapsed from every possible aspect, fixed responsibility and recommend corrective measures that should be taken to avoid recurrence of similar tragedy in future;

3. The Government of Manipur must take suitable punitive action against the guilty;

4. The Government of Manipur must pay ex-gratia to the families of those killed at the rate of

Rs. 5 lakhs per victim;

5. The Government of Manipur must also pay compensation at the rate Rs. 2 lakhs each to those who sustained injuries apart from providing free treatment and medicines.




Publicity Wing,
Zou Organisation Delhi



Ngasuan Lei tuosietna toh kisai a limte

MY FIRST VISIT TO MANIPUR BHAVAN AND THE FINDINGS

It may sound awkward that being a Manipuri and have been staying in Delhi for the past several years visited his home state bhavan for the first time very recently, indeed it is only also on November 20, 2007.

I was there for an official meeting with one of the worker, I reached the place by 09.00 hours, what shocks me in the first place was that non, not even the receptionist was nowhere to be seen. I waited for another half an hour, only then the receptionist trun in, while inquiring about the big bosses, i was told that they will be at their respective seats at the earliest. I again waited for another half an hour, still the same, no one turns up. By that time, i came to realised that Manipur Standard Time is also implemented in the capital city bhavan of Manipur. With my Manipur delay tactic, i patiently waited for the big fishes to turn up. It was already 10.00 hours, I was exhausted and think of loitering around and inside the building as far as i could penetrate.

Walking down the basement, I saw one old lady, sitting at a small cabin, I approached her, while almost touching her table, she came to know that someone is approaching her. Without giving me a chance to address her, she talk to me in Meitei lawn, she seems like seeing her lost sons, (this makes me realised that, I am not the only one who hardly visited this bhavan, but there are many Manipuri who doesnot care to visit their state bhavan), after inquiring about my appointment and other related informations, we came to know that we are hailing from the same locality in Imphal.

She then start all this iritating discussions. At the very outset, she told me about the bhavan environment and how they (i.e. the manipuri workers) faced a hardship in our own state bhavan. She told me that they were in some way or indirectly harash by their co-workers (i.e the mayangs). I was told that the Mayangs wanted all the Manipuris to be taken out of our bhavan. So sad!!

ABOUT THE BHAWAN

The State Guest House at New Delhi known as the Manipur Bhawan is situated at 2, Sardar Patel Marg, Chanakyapuri. This three-storied building has a total of 25 rooms out of which the 8 top floor rooms are earmarked for Ministers and other important visitors. All the rooms have attached bathrooms and those at the first and third floors are air-conditioned and provided with television and telephone connections. A special suite is kept earmarked for the Governor and the Chief Minister of the State. The office of the Resident Commissioner and other staffs are located in this Bhawan. A facilitation centre is being added to the Bhawan, which will provide ministerial and other office assistance to government officials on official visit to Delhi.

Another Guest House called the Manipur Tikendrajit House has been recently opened at 6, Bir Tikendrajit Road at Chanakyapuri near the Chanakya cinema hall. This new Bhawan has 9 double rooms and 12 single rooms all of which are air-conditioned. In addition there are 2 dormitories to cater to students and other group travelers. The 9 double rooms are designated as VIP rooms and kept earmarked for MLAs and other senior Government officials.

There are common facilities like a reception and a private mess in both the Guest Houses. The room rents are highly subsidized and priority is given to public representatives and officials who visit Delhi on official work.

To be continue..

CLEARING THE UNCLEARED MIND OF A DOUNTFUL MAN

By T. Zamlunmang Zo

It was in the year 2007, June the 29th. A group of a few guys were in a rented room in Munirka, New Delhi. While we were talking about something related to our community, all of a sudden, one of our fellow guy stop all of us in the middle of our discussion. He said, "I have a question to ask and need the answer right now, if you guys can answer I would really appreciate it". We all laughed with amazement; he again starts his words and raised this vividly worth answering question.

The worth answering question is "Why the name of the Zo/Zou is being neglected by the other Zomi community while writing or speaking about the Zomi, why it is not mentioned when some body speaks about the Zomis?".

After hearing such an unexpected and interesting question, we all make some kind of rustling sound at each other, one of our ignorant friend simply replied "it indicates that we are worthless to mention". By hearing this brainless and muddle headed response, I somehow got angry and make him shut his empty lunatic mouth. I asked all of them to listen carefully and tell them they should not disturb me while I am talking. So, I let them sit like a small kids surrounding their teacher and start narrating my lecture.

Dear friends, if you don't mind let me elaborate this topic a little bit deeper so as to understand and got the root points of my lecture. The the history of the Zo people, the Zo/Zou, as we all know is the only tribe, which treasured the originality/ancient history of the ZO/ZOU. After several research and studies which i have gone through, i was convinced that most of the dialects, i mean the Zo suon dialects comes from the Zo/Zou people. The Zo/Zou people are the one who first started to make understand our brethren that they too are Zo/Zou/Zomi. If you see in the history of the Zo/Zou people, the Zo/Zou speaking people are the people who called themselves Zo/Zou even while the others are unaware of their belongingness called us Zo/Zou naptol. To mention a few out of many worth mentioning ownership, I would like to tell you one more thing. The Zo/Zou people are known as the intepu or intepi of the Zomi. You may also heard that "Zou" is the tribe name of the particular Zou Community in Manipur and "Zo" is the name of all Zo decendants. This is bulshit and baseless. Zou may be a recognised tribe is Manipur but there is no reason of differentiating the spelling between Zo or Zou. It is one and the same. If you believe that Zo is for all the Zo decendants and Zou is only for a particular Zou community, you are 100 per cent misleaded.

For all these reasons, the recently awakened Zo suons deem it unnecessary to mention the word Zo/Zou while they speak about the Zomi, because they know that Zo/Zou is the owner or so to say, the intehpi or intepu. That means, they know that we are already in that very topic. Just to make you clearer, with my sincere apologies to our Zo brethren, While we talk about Zomi, one has to mention Paite Zomi/Zo, Thadou Zomi/Zo, Gangte Zomi/Zo, Simte Zomi/Zo, Tedim Zomi/Zo etc. etc., it is clear that one does not have to mention Zou/Zo Zomi. It signifies that Zou/Zo are already in the Zomi itself. As I have told you earlier, the other communities like Paite, Simte, Thadou, Gangte or others are the name which comes from/according to our dwelling place or comes from the name of the sons' of Pu Zou/Zo, we need to mention them while talking about Zomi.

After lecturing these short facts, my friends surprisingly greeted me, saying, wowwww!!!! Tungnung, you are incredible, where the hell did you get all this knowledge? "This is the fact that every one ought to know, it is simple, one can learn these things from our day-to-day life" said replied.

We then went out and have a cup of tea.

Note: This article may sounds intolerable or too much to teach a friend. If it hurts your sentiment, here is my apologies. SORRY!!

Lunch Time & Posting Session

SUNNI TUM KUOM IN ZONG

SUNNI TUM KUOM IN ZONG

(A song that comes out from the bottom of a broken heart)

Sun ni tum kuon in zong,
Pienpi tui bang i gawm thei lou,
Sah-le-hang, sim-le-mar a,
I lampiel khankhuollou in,
Ma chieng mei bang ziing e,
Sietna huipi hing laang le,
Pal bang in i nang zou diei.

Zolei kulpi a chiim zeel e,
Luonhi luongin ka kap zeel ding,
Ka kinepna bang chi'n a phung ching diei?

Pangkhawm lei hat diing hia,
Pangkhawmte khu guolzoute hi,

.......to be continued.....