Remembering Pu Thangthuam on 31/12

You left us on this day in 2005 but you are still alive in our hearts.
You are our ideal, from where we imbibe eternal inspiration, affection and guidance.

Today, as we enter your death anniversary, the nation pays tribute to thee. And millions of ZO’s around the globe shed a tear for you. We remember you.

R.I.P. dear father, hero, and comrade!

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that December day?
When the ground beneath shook in violent tremor, the terrifying thunder roared…
When a hail of Meitei bullets ripped through his body…
Our dear father, Pu Thangthuam…
When he uttered a desperate cry, “Sons of Zo, where are thou? Why hast thou forsaken me…”
And at long last, when he helplessly gasped for breath, surfacing with a final death cry before disintegrating into nothingness…
Where were you on that December day, oh, sons of Zo?


Remember the Oinam Bazaar!
Remember the 31/12!
Remember the Meiteis!
Remember him!

Remember the quest for Zoland!

Zaankhua dai, zaankhua siang

Zaan dang banglou in khua dam peetmah hi. Vaan a siang a, tunglam ah meiphualpi mahbang in aaksi te duur phengphung in a neute bel a phe leplep uhi. Ka dinna innsawng apan gaal a khopi thupi tak, paak ziazua in a kimu a, meivaak chi tuamtuam a eeng zihziah hi. A kaallak ah haalpuak ngaihtak hongpuak domh a, vaan laizawl a hong eengtou singseng zeel hi. Ka kiim, ka paam ah mi te hulum in a om zaizai uhi.

Mite’n hiai Krismas ma zaan hun nuamtak a a zat vengvung lai un kei bel ngaihsutna khawl deeduu in hongveh se hi. Huchia ka omlai in ka lungsim mitkha a hongvaak a, awl in pianna Zolei a honveel diaidiai hi. Gaal a kipan Krismas leenkhop laa hong kisa hialhial hi’n ka za a, lawi-le-pai, khanvual te’ nuihging bang ka bil ah a honglang chiaichiai hi. Singpi san, limtak a bawl, leh i Zo’ khutsuak ngei, sangkan gim khawng ngaih gimsi bang a diikkha vingving hi’n ka kithei hi. Innlum ngaihna a hongpuang a, a lungleen huai ngeimai.

Huchih lai in ka phone a hongging a, message a hongtung hi. “Hongpai dek nailou mo? Panta keive ua,” chiin Kimbawi in honchi hi. Sangkan khawm sawm ka hihlam uh ka phawksuah hi. Muamuan te toh hohna diing nei masa ka hihman un, “Ana panmai uau, denlam chiah k’ong paidi,” chiin ka thukkiik hi.

Ahitak in bangmah ka peihkei. Bangmah in a ka kha a tokthou zou taktak kei.

Ka kingaihtuah a, innlam a om hileng, lawmte toh ka hunzat diingdaan uh ka suangtuah a, nopmeel ka sa mahmah hi. Khat khit khat, suangtuahna screen ah honglang ziahziah hi. “Ah, a lungleen huai maimai,” chiin ka hongpawt khia a, Muamuan te’ kiang ah ka va pai hi.. Huchiin, ka hongman ua, disco a hoh di’n ka hong kithawi kheta uhi. Ka iit Kimbawi bel hiaibang mun khawng a hohdi’n ka phal theikei.

Mi 8 ka pha ua, auto nih laa in disco mun ka honzuan ta uhi. Lawmte mi thum, kop kim in a om ua, kei toh Sangpu bel a khaat in ka pai heeuhaau uhi. Amun ka hongtung uleh lut chihtak in ana luun hi. Eilam nungaak, kholai a i tuahkhaak chiang a hoih i saksim khenkhat, Negro tangvaal lian hethut khawng toh kikawi helhel in a na om ua, a khen te lah Vai te’ car sung khawng a tu in, laizial pet veeuvaau in a om ferfar geuh uhi. Mit siip sim. Disco sung ka va luutdek uleh bouncer pa’n chinky te honna luutphal hetkei hi. (Ei compound ah mo lah va kichi thei mawklou hi’n maw.) Bangtan hiam ka kiseel nung un mundang ka zuannawn uhi.

A mundang peen bel ana nuam mahmah a, eilam mi leeng hunkhop va ki om hi. Laizial khu lunglung, zu gim nam humhum, meelhoih taktak kisawi hahhah – DJ pa’n tulai deuhdeuh honhih bangzaw aw, kisuum zoulou in kei leeng ka va kisawi trahtrah saam hi. Siamlou tuan saam ale! Lawmdang te nuam sa in a om vengvung ua, kei bel ka thaw kituak zou taktak lou ahi diing a, a hongpik mahmah ta. Ka lungsim ah Kimbawi a honglang a, a siang zuan a khaubang chiah ka ut tuntun hi. Sangpu leeng pai a ut a, nuamsa lawlai ahihman un Muamuan te lawi ka paisan mai uhi.

Kimbawi te’ kiang ka tun chiang un amau leeng duur in ana duur mai uhi. Kongkhaak ka va honleh, tangvaal hon toh zu dawnkhawm in Kimbawi ana om a, ana chiak niahniah uhi. Ka iit Kimbawi. Maimah de! Ka muhdaan a danglam ta ngeimai. Kimbawi, mihoih mahmah daan a ka koih, biakna limsak mahmah daan a ka muh, party na a hohdia le ka zot ngamlouh, hichia om maimaw! Na paammaih ngei. Na meelhoihna te hichia zangliam maidiing maw? Ka lungsim a hongnaa mahmah a, hiaimun a omtheilou in innlam zuan in ka hongpai mai hi.

Ahitak in, zudawn a omsaang mah in a zulhzauna in ka lung a hon suna zaw.

Bangmah ka ngaihtuah thei nawnkei. Heh ka hia, naa sa ka hia, hazaa ka hia, lungleeng ka hia, lungkham ka hia, ka kithei zoukei.

Lampi ah phalbi huihvot a hongnung hiauhiau a, vaanlai zawl a aaksi vaak singseng te ka entou hi. Ka sana ka etleh daak 12.00 ana gingta. Huchihlai in gaal a kipan Krismas laa hong kisa ging in ka bil a honluh ngiaingiai hi.

Zaankhua dai. Zaankhua siang.

[Hiai thugelh lungsim suangtuahna a kipan hong piangkhia ahi. Mun leh min te, kuamah geenna tuam ahikei.]

Guun Gaal Taan Inn Apan Suahtaakna

Vuikhu laang lunglung kawm ah Tedim Road, lampi setak mai tawn in bus a hongtai ngiaingiai hi. Suunni mual ah a keniam hiaihiai a, lamgei ah naupang hon, dong setak a kithuam te’n tua gari a tuang te a khut un a vaan leplep uhi. A paam deuh ah cheek sing leh meihol bag a kichiang dim venvon a, a saklam ah mi bangzah hiam te’n sing a aat nainai uhi. Tua laitak in Shaktiman gari khat in bus a honpeel a, a khu ngeimai". I gam a singhoih-singlian teng kiphuuk siang ta ahihman in i gaal a gammaang sing te va saat louhngaal neekmuhna diing omlou," chiin Muallum mahajon, Hausuan in geen hi. Amah tel in Singngat taang a singsaat mi 20 te, Kawlgam a ni 177 sung taan inn a genthei tak a hun a vazat nung un tu’n damtak in hongpawt kheta uhi.

Hiai ahihleh daan bohsiatna leh thongkiatna taangthu kia ahikei. Zodawn mangbatna a kipan khosuahkhiat theihna dia lampi zonna leeng ahi. Baan ah, hiai taangthu ah unau, chikhat-sakhat kaal a kilainat tuahna thuuktak leeng a tel. Tu in suahtaakna daak a gingta, i chi maithei. Hiaitan ah i tungthu uh beisak kei ni. Mabaan sautak i neilai.

Guun pang buluhna:
Guun lui gaal, gammaang a sing thupi taktak te saat a neekzong in a kum a sim Singngat kiim leh Behiang gam a khua khenkhat te na khosa tou uhi. Hiai neekzonna ahihleh a meet lawmlawm kei. Hinna a diing a lauhuai thei thil tampi leeng kigolh hi. Lam setak leh gammaang kawm a sing laa a kuanna ahia, Kawlgam a i unau, khomi te leh Kawl sepaih te suk lungkim – khenkhat te’ a di’n bel kiveen - ngai gige hi. Mahajon te’n kho hausa te’ kiang ah kha thum leh li khawng daih diing singlaak theihna di’n Rs. 20,000 – Rs. 40,000 kaal sung uh a, tua hausa te’n sepaih te maivilna in a kimkhat diing khawng pesawn uhi. Mahleh, sum bangmah pelou a luut pawl leeng omzeel hihtuak.

"Sing beam, cubic 1 ah Rs. 60 khawng a la in Rs. 90 in ka zuak ua, seemtu te teng khatvei kuan in Rs. 500 bang ka pia uh," chiin Singngat mahajon khat in geen hi.

Kawlgam a taaninn ah:

A ngeina bang in gari bangzah hiam a kizui in mi 100 vualdiing khawng singla di’n Aisih gam ah, tukum May kha bul in na luut uhi. Himahleh May 6, 2006 ni peen a ngeina ana bang ta kei. Amau te thakhat thu in Kawl sepaih te’n khum uh a, gari 3 leh mi 21, naupang khat tel in, man uhi. A tam zotham te bel suakta man uhi.

Cikha ah tonpih in om ua, huai a kipan May 12 in Tonzang lockup tut hi uhi. Vaangphat huaitak in taksa lam a kigawtna nasa lua a omkei. Khatvei, S. Vengnuam a Thangkhankhai, a lu suk keek in om a, huailou in June 27 leh 28 in buaina khenkhat a omziak in up-down 600 vaal vei neihsak hi uhi. Huaibaan ah, Sumchin mi, Dalkhanpau, OC pa’n a phei a peeksak ziak in kaal khat veel taang theilou in om hi. A omna lockup uh ahihleh feet 20 square a neu ahi a, huaisung ah mi 21 kihen khawm in a sung ah daileen buuk khat om zomah hi. Cikha a kipan Tonzang a a taansung teng un mahajon te’n neek-le-taak teng seengvek uh a, annhuan di’n khomi te zangtou ngiitngeet uhi.

Tonzang a a omsung un court 13 vei kaiman uhi. Court a a dinchiang un a sik ua ding diing kuamah a nei (thei) kei ua, thukhen tu khat in ngoh a a omna uleh a mohna te uh simkhiatna nei a, thukhen pi pa’n tua te pansan in thu tankhumna nei zuingaal zeel hi. Huaidiing in i unau te’n sum tamkhop seeng zomah uhi.

August 25, 2006 a Tonzang Township Court in a thukhenna ah naupang Pauminthang khahkhiat diing, chi a, Tangpijol mi, Manglianlam, SSB thau khat toh matkhawm khaak ahihna ah sabet ziak in kum 19 sung jail taang di’n thu tankhum hi. Midang 19 te ahihleh phalna bei a gamsung luut leh singsaat ziak in kum 12 sung taang diing, chih ahi. Tu in amau te a khoveel uh mial in a tuamchip ta. Lametna bangmah a neithei nawnkei uh.´Huchiin, August 31 in mi 21 te Sagaing Division sung, Kalemyo Township a Inndainggyi prison-cum-labour camp puaktung in om uhi.

Naupang Pauminthang peen khahkhiat in a ompah kei. Hun sawt kuamtak hong kivei a, belhdiing neilou in mangbang tak in a theih ngeilouhna gam ah hun hon zangtou lai hi. Innkuan khosak haksat ziak in Hausuan in amah na keemtou hi. Hingdam a a khonung a hong kimuh un Paumin in khasetak mai in a pu, Hausuan’ kiang ah hichiin geen hi: "Nou Kalemyo zuan a n’on paisan nung ua kei kia a thawmhau tak a om ing a, innlam lah pai theilou, meeltheih lah khat beek le neilou… kei kapkap mai…" September kha lailak veel in Champhai ah khaakkhiat in ompan hi. Huai a kipan innlum a zotdaan bang leeng taangthu khasiat huai mahmah khat ahinawn.

Inndainggyi taan inn ah a gawm in mi 1,300 veel om ua, tua ah numei 270 veel tel hi. A hunzat daan taangpi uh ahihleh: ziing daak 3 a thou, kihahsiang, daak 6 a singpi dawn, nna seem, daak 10 a ziing ann ne, daak 11 a pindan a luutnawn, daak 1 apan nna seem, daak 3 a ann ne, khawl tawldam, huaizoh ut leh utlou omlou daak 5 a kipan meimit! A geendaan un a ann neek te uh vok ann saang a leeng limlou zaw, chi uhi. "I lu anat leh paracetamol, i gil anat leh paracetamol, i sung a khoh leh huaimah hizeel, natna tengteng a paracetamol higai vek! Huaile a omlouh chia sialthuak ek ngai zomah!" chiin a lak ua khat in geen hi.

Hun te hong pailiam zeel a, Inndainggyi a kha nih bang a hong kikhum bichilh nung un October 30, 2006 ziing daak 5 in amau te’n - a lamet phaak nawnlouh nung un - suahtaakna khovaak hon muta uhi. Namphalong a pi in om ua, huai a kipan Moreh tan khaaktung in om uhi. Kawlgam a a hunzat sungteng uh lungziin huaitak himahleh amau te haattak leh haangtak in pangtou ngiitngeet uhi. "Pathian hing bia i hihziak un ka lung a liapkei. July kha lailak veel a ka sung te’n innlam news a honkhaakna uah, Delhi a Zomi Human Rights Foundation te’n pan ana la ua, MP pa’ kiang a a thu ana tun uh ahi, chih ka theih un lametna liantak a honpia," chiin Hausuan in geen hi.

Mat ahihtuung un sepaih te’n a vanteng uh laaksak gaivek ua, a paikuan un puanteen khat leh puanaak khat chiat piak in om uhi. Gari thum, a matkhawm te uh ahihleh tu in Cikha ah heentaang in omlai hi.

Sak-le-khang a Zomi te kisumdawl tuah:

Laizom mi 21 hiilhial gamdang a mat a a om thu uh a kitheih a kipan mi kheempeuh i lung honphawng hi. Internet tungtawn a kithuzaakna, adiak in SSPPNet (Delhi SSPP te’ phuan, international discussion forum) ah khawllou in hiaithu kikupkhawmna paitou hi.

Hiai Guun gaal a saltaanna taangthu, hong kitheih khiatna ahihleh Heutupa H Khamkhansuan, Varanasi a kipan ahi. Mat ahihnung uh, ni 18 bang a pailiam nung a complaint bangmah bawl ahih nailouh lai ziak in a thu ngai poimoh in May 24 in Singngat OC, Kamzathang, SI in FIR chiamteh hi. Local news te ah leeng report bangmah a om tuankei. Mat a om innkuan te’n palai sawl in Singngat bial MLA, Thangso va panh pah uhi.

Thuchian theinuam in June kha bul in Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF) Delhi Cell heutu te’n Singngat a om Mr. T. Dongkhansiam kiang ah a thu kanchiang di’n sawl uhi (lampi dang omlou ahihman in). Tua thuchian te pansan in ZHRF Delhi Cell in June 24, 2006 (Kiginni) in Manipur Outer MP, Mani Charenamei’ kiang ah a thu tun ua, a hihtheih daandaan a panlaak pih di’n ngeen uhi. June 26 (Seppatni) in MP Charenamei in a thu, Home Affairs leh External Affairs ah tunngaal a, mimal tak in leeng a saite va kimuhpih hi. MP pu’n khawllou a pantouh zeel sawm ahihdaan heutu te’ kiang ah geen hi.

Huchihlai in, i Zosuan pih, imi ngeelngeel saltaang uh, chih thei in awlmohna lianpi toh Pu NT Khankhup, Indian Ambassador to DPRK (North Korea) in, Yanggon a Indian Embassy a a lawm, Mr. Manoj Kumar Bhartu, Deputy Chief of Mission kiang ah ana kan hi. Mahleh amau hichibang thu thei khalou uhi. Hiai ahihleh June kha ahi.

August 3, 2006 ni’n Parliament ah MP Mani in hiai thu taangkouna nei hi. Ama’n gamgi lehlam tuak a teeng mi te chikhat-sakhat i hihdaan uh geen a, mat a omte’ haksat daan geentel in, a kinthei lam a Myanmar solkaal kiang a khahkhe dia phu di’n ulian te kuun hi. Huchiin, kha khat nung in MoS (External Affairs) E. Ahamed in MP Mani hiaithu toh kisai in laikhaak a, a thu, Yangon a Mission tungtawn a Myanmar solkaal kiang a tut ahihdaan geen hi. Myanmar Foreign Office in leeng tua mi 21 te gamsung a sing a saatziak ua Myanmar Immigration Law and Public Law bohsia hi un geen.

August kha tawp kuan in Pu NT Khankhup in Yangon a Indian Ambassador Bhaskar Mitra houpih a, himahlah Mr. Mitra in hiaithu amau kiang tung nailou ahihdaan geen a, "Ka na enzui dia, thil omdaan Delhi a i kimuh chiang in ka honhilh diing," chi hi. September kha bul a South-East Asia sung a Indian Ambassador te’ khawmpi Delhi a neih a om ah, Pu Khankhup in Mr. Mitra munawn a, himahleh hiaihun tan in leeng a thu, amau – Yangon a Indian Mission te – kiang tung nailou lai hi. Huchiin, Pu Khankhup mah in Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) a a saipa’ kiang ah kan a, hiai thu amau’ lak a taamlel ahihdaan hilh in om hi. September 5, 2006 in ama’n MEA a Joint Secretary (BSM) Mr. Mohan Kumar va kimuhpih a, Mr. Kumar in leeng ana ngai poimoh mahmah a, huaini mahmah a Yangon lam a athu khaakkhiak diing in thu pengaal hi. Huchih lai in Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat a seem imi-isa te’n pan ahihtheih daandaan un ana la siausiau uhi. MP Pu Mani ngei in leeng Burmese Embassy te leh External Affairs a mi poimoh te kimuhpih touzeel hi.

Awl a panlaak theih daandaan a laak ahihlai in August 25, 2006 ni’n mi 20 te’ tung ah thukhenna khauhtak mai guan in hong om hi. A lung liaphuai mahmah. September 12, 2006 ni’n Copenhagen, Denmark a om Heutupa Lealyan Thomte in, amun a pan hongla theilou ahihman in Rs. 20,000, hiai saltaang te hutkhiatna dia panlaakna di’n honthoh khia hi. September 13, 2006 a Indo-Myanmar kaal a 12th Home Secretary-level talks ah hiaithu geen in hong om a, phualpi ulian te’n Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Union of Myanmar’ kiang ah a kinthei lam a thu ngaihtuah di’n ngetna bawl uhi.
Huailou in, October 14, 2006 a Siamsinpawlpi, Joint Headquarter Delhi’ saina a Siamsin Khawmpi om ah, SSPP Delhi leh ZHRF Delhi Cell te kithuah in Chief Guest, Oscar Fernandez, MoS(Labour) kiang ah hiai tungtaang a a thu ngaihven pih di’n ngetna khenawn leuleu uhi. Yangon a Indian Embassy te’n a thu amau kiang a tunphet in "Consular Access" (suangkulh taang te kimuhpih theihna) ngeenpah ua, Yangon ah Embassy a First Secretary (Consular) Mr. Raj Srivastava in suangkulh taang te na kimuhpih hi. Huchiin, amau te a suahtaak theihna diing un Embassy in naaktak in Myanmar solkaal’ kiang ah geensak hi.

Tu in imi-isa te a saltaanna ua kipan hong suakkhe ta uhi. A kipahhuai.

Ambassador Mitra in tua imi-isa te hingdam a hongkiik theih uh a kipahhuai daan geen a, huchibang mun a omkha te, athu-alaa geenlou a kaaplup toptop hi un leeng geen. Huan, Myanmar solkaal’ ngaihdaan in eite’n a gam daan uh kalh a nna vaseem ihi ua, himahleh India solkaal in mi gam’ daan va bohsia, chi a hon paampaih mailou a, hon piikhiat thil kipahhuai tak ahi. Pu Khankhup in "Gamdang a haksatna tuak i omleh MEA leh i Embassy te’ kiang a a thu tutpah diing ahi,"s chi. Ama’n hiaibang buaina mun tamtak ah na sai ngeita hi.

Tualou in, "Gamgi zuul a zuihdiing policy, nou a dia hoihdiing, honkhung un. A gaal lehlam tuak a teeng mi te chikhat-sakhat na hihna uah, solkaal in daan a hon bawlsak theidiing. Huchiin, ke’n phualpi solkaal ka na phudiing," chiin MP pu’n geen hi.

Iimvuallouh- nialvuallouh thutak:
Kawlgam a kipan i unau te khahkhiat a om thu uh a zaakphet in Singngat MLA Thangso Baite in a mi zatte sawl in amau te Moreh ah va piisak a, October 31, 2006 in Imphal a a teenna inn ah vaidawnna neipih hi. A thugeenna ah, "Outer MP Mani in nna bangmah a seem theikei. Na tungthu uh Manipur ah a kisai kei a, kei leh Inner MP Dr. Meinya in a saanglam a thil ka sai ziak ua nou lawi hongpawt khethei na hi uh," chi hi.

MLA Thangso in panna a neikei, zaw chikhang. Nei khamah inteh. Kikum sukzual le.
August 3, 2006 a Lok Sabha zero hour ah MP Mani in May 6, 2006 a Zomi singsaat 21 mat a a om thu uh a geenzoh in Inner MP Dr. Thokchom Meinya in MP Mani houpih a, a thilgeen a dik leh a diklouh dong hi. "Bialtu MLA Thangso in lah amau te ‘jail taang ahikei uh, gammaang a om ahi uh’ a chi a?" MP Mani leeng hong lungbuai sim a, Rajya Sabha a seem, Heutupa Thangzalun Khuptong kiang ah a thu kanchiang thak hial hi. Huchiin a mangngei nawnlou diing in, MLA pu’ thugeen, Zosuan te’ khangthu bu ah chepteh in hong omta hi.

Huan ah, November 9, 2006 a Heutupa Lun Khuptong toh MP Meinya a kihouna uah, MP pa’n jail taang te a pawtkhiat lam uh theipan hi. Dr. Meinya in ahihleh khatvei hiam Home Affairs te’ lak ah lehkha ana peluut hihtuak. Ahia, India gam paidaan ah, hiaibang a lehkha piakluut te koihdap theih himahleh Parliament House a thil taangkou a om te himhim koihdap theih hilou hi.

Huaiziak in, ZHRF Delhi Cell te’ phuutna ziak a, MP Mani Charenamei in Parliament a a kikoupihna tungtawn a ‘i thu’ un a deenna diing muntak deengkha ahi zaw.

[Hiai thugelh, Tongluang December 2006 issue ah leeng a suak. Supporting documents bangzah hiam www.zogam.com ah a muhtheih diing]