June 23, 2009

Paldai Luiguam Ah

"U Mung ei, kei ziak a maw hiai tantan na hongpai? Huai Paldai luiguam ah, zaanmial nuai a, na laitah diing kuan in, ka min, khatvei beek, hon na sam mah niteh maw..." chiin Niangbawi a kidiik hithit a.

Ni bel niam naikei mahleh Skul mual in a liahkhaak ziak in Mawngluikawi leh thuumna mual lak teng aliap dipdep a, akhang a Luipi zaang ahihleh nisa in a hai lai hi. "Welcome to Singngat" chih signboard kitaakna gei a duty post apan mei khu a leengtou viaiviai a, avang apat SBBL thaulawng nih in Mawngluikawi leh haanmual lam a kawk hi. Hiaimun ahihleh Lamka lam zuan diing gari te'n damtak a a zotna mun uh a tuntheihna diing ua thuumna a neih zeelna uh ahi.

Himahleh, huai November, 1997 nitaaklam khat a pai, gari leh asung a tuang Zomi te, damtak in a zotna mun uh a tungkei hial uh.

1997 phalbi kuan in Lamka lam paisuak theilou, Zodawn lam apan gari asawm a sim Singngat khua ah taang uhi. Zin kihawm a, innchih in a tawmpen in zin thum tan bang nei uhi. Akhen in 10. Lamka lam apan neek diing leh van atun nawnlouhna lah sawtta ahihchian nikhat a ann nihvei nethei te a hampha asuak uhi. Ani-ani in tiinsung a anntang kikoih te a kiam hulhul a, "anntang phaam" di phaamkhiat bang a lithuai mai. A leina di sum neite a din leng dawr ah van lei di atawm hiaihiai ta.

Atawp in gari taangte pii diing kawm in, IRB te’ veenbitna nuai ah supply ("control anntang" chia sim di) a hongtung hi. Huchiin, Zomi te' vangkhopi zuan in, tua November nitaaklam, AIR Imphal a Paite program kipat diing kuan in Mawngluikawi mual apan a hong taikhe ta uhi.

Huchiin, hiai tangthu a hong kipanta.

Leisiatna nai leh Leisiatna gamla mun te peel a a hong taisuk lai un, Niangbawi in a u Mung khelah tak in a ngaihtuahtuah mai hi. Suanmung in leng a ngaihnou' tuanna gari kizui diandian te a tummang matan uh ana gaal et tei a. Niangbawi' tuanna Tata lusan ah naakna diing awnglou phial in van toh mihing siat in a kisiat thoh uhi. Ama leh anung uah IRB te gari a tai a, alai ah nautaang pua gari 10 veel a kizui hi. Paldai zaang a hongtun chiang un diiphawmna daitak mai in amaute a honbuak pan ta. A lauhuai Haijang khua tung diing ahita ngaal ua. Huchiin, Sumchinvum te’ waiting shed atun un, Haijang te' duty post a kigaalmuh theita hi.

A khosung luutna gate uh kihong sa in ana om a, awl in a hongtai tou uhi. Lampi siik ah sou zum, hiam taktak a kiphut seuhsouh a, a duty post polam uapan kuamah a kimu theikei. Lamdang tak in khua a dai dikdek hi. Aak khuang nasan zaakdiing a omkei.

Thakhat in duty post sung apan thau a hong kikaap phungphung a. Gari baang te bang a kaap pailet pokpok a, a nungzaang khawng uah thautang a buur chorhchorh hi. Niangbawi’ gei a tupa' lu a kaap darh phuah ua, sisan in amah a per suah hi. A khuaktui a bo zoihzoih a, loh ngaihna theilou in akap hawhaw uhi. Meelma te, mualtung khawng a panmun fuhtak khohsa diam a ana om ahi ua, nuamtak in mipi te akaap ziahziah uhi. Khenkhat te gari apan a kitawm khia ua, Paldai lui lamzuan in a taisuk uhi. A tai zoulou te'n a ommun uah a sialpi vuahthuak topmai uh. Amau te adin a kihumbit theihna sun uh ahihleh alu uh akhut ua hum kawm a thuumna neih ahimai.

Thau ging leh naa sa a kikou husa leh mau huthut leh sisan luang zengzung kawm ah thuumna nei di'n amit uh a hon si ua, himahleh hakkiik ngei nawnlou thei dinmun a om ahihdan uh a kitheihna un amau ah lungmuanna a tunthei taktak tuankei.

IRB te lah meizial in a kibu khunkhun ua, thuk leng a thuk ngamkei uh.

Agaal apan thauging ana zaakchiang in Suanmung in om didan a thei zoukei. Niangbawi bang a chi deh aw? Thuumna mual apan mipi te'n a mulkimhuai "Haijang ambush" a etthoh mai uhi. Nupi te'n a kahkhum huphup ua, "Lawmlawm, a si gai di uh!" a chi ua, thuumna bang a neihsak uhi.

Pathian in Singngat taang taisan ta ahi diing.

Tangval hon a kikaikhawm ua, kuansuk mai a sawm uhi. Himahleh, heutu te'n a khou uh. "Zahngai ua! Zahngai ua!" Huchihlai in Suanmung, a captain form kilawm takmai a kithuam sa in a hongpai a, Defence Chairman pa a M-16 meithal in a honngiim hi.

“July 7 ni a mi 18 thah di leh khosung haal dia ana pekhia, i gamtatna teng honna daal gige, Major Nautiyal (32 RR) thah a kisawmlai in na honkhou ua, na thu uh ka na mang uh. Tu a na hon khouhnawn di uleh na tung ah ka thautang khah di ka hi," Suanmung in a chi gamgam hi. Haijang a meelma te sang in Lamka lam a heutute bang a mohsa zaw phial hi. "I kikawmtuahna uh honna khaaktan gige, Haijang khua bangziak a ana 'hahsiang' mailou i hi ua? Lamka a bit naak leh chi a Singngat lam te a nelhsiahna uh ahi ka hehna," chiin a haang motmot a.

Huchiin, Defence Committee te a kiheem khia ua, "tangval" te'n ma a honla ta uhi. Himahleh, operator pa simlouh "tangval" guk, huaibel, meithal guk lel a om laitak ahihziak in, Suanmung a beidong sim hi. Khosung tangval a kuan ut teng a samkhawm ua, a paidiing dan uh a hongeel khawm uhi. Paldai luiguam apan nawktou di, meithal nih kizui di, meithal khat in khosung tangval nga makaih di, kiiklam chiah Khamsiam' zaanglou buuk khang ah kingaak khawm di, a chi uhi. Ambush na a liam leh a suakta theite zong di pawl leng a seh ua, first-aid kit tawi toh innhaalna di zirigan tiin khai pawl toh, honching tak in a hong kuansuk dupdup ta uhi.

Muikhua ziing diing kuan, nidang a Niangbawi heeldia a kuankhiat hun bang ahita a, Suanmung' ngaih a pha thei mahmah kei. Gari a, "Damtak in aw, mangpha" a kichihlai uh khawng a mitkha ah a kilang thakthak hi. Singkung kawm a lengthe khuang tialtial loungal thawm dang zaak diing a omkei. A biri teep hu, khahkhe luahluah in tunglam a entou a, a mial mahmah a, aksi bangzah hiam a phe leplep uhi.

Paldai a hong tungsuk ua, set a hon uleh headquarter lam apan thu a hongtung hi. Gari te bel avek un taisuak thei ua, himahleh a si zah leh liam zah kithei nailou, mi 'hunkhop' kimlou, chih ahi. Luidung a hon zuitou ua, liam leh bai a om bangzah hiam a hontuak uhi. Suanmung in Niangbawi didan - nungak nou, puanak san silh, mizeen - a kanbawl chiang in a theikei uhi. Suanmung in bag leh puanthem, si baang niuniau khawng a honmu a, khat bang Niangbawi' puanak toh a kibang sim hi. Khua amial luat ziak in chiangtak in a mu theikei.

Niang, koi a om na hi hiam? Damtak in na tungsuk deh aw? Ahihke'h hiaimun a kei honna ngaak maw?

Suanmung adin a iit, Niangbawi' meel amuh nawnna diing lametna, gaal a Haijang duty post sung a meivaak kiukiau, huih in a muutliing derder, phe leplep, mitdia kisa bangmai ahita. A gam-le-nam leh Niangbawi adia a hinna pephal in, humpi neelkai haang bang in Paldai luiguam ah, huai zaan khomial nuai ah, a hong huumhaam ta hi.

Ka manta.

Huchiin, a panmun diing chiat a hon zuanta uhi.

Dai khipkhep a a omlai un Thangboi in naakpi in a veih a honteh dop a, a lawmte a kiguihsak hial hi. Zaan dak 9 geih agin in, Muansang in a G3 in deihthu in duty post a hon kaap a, a thawn zoihzoih hi. Langlam te ahihleh ana ngawi deedaw zezeen uhi. Duty post lam thautang a a kithehhuan touh lai un, thakhat in, a nunglam ua Sumchinvum mual apan, langlam te'n a hon hawtsuk dodot uhi. A tung ua singkung nah bang a pulh sungsung hial. Amalam ua Haijang leh apang ua Sumchinvum apan a hon beihsuk chiang un, a kuanlam te a buaisim pah uhi. Khenkhat, sou a va kidawt pilh kha bang a om nengnung ua, eek siik kha pawl toh, buai in a buai uhi.

Langlam te lah atam un akhauh mahmah uhi. Mualtung a hoihtak a kibawlsa, post a pang ahi ua, a kuanlam te bel, guamkeen lak a singbul, suangbul khawng beel ahi lel uhi. Khatlam te' thauhoih 20 diing khawng toh Suanmung te' a guk lel kibei ahi a, nasa kha tel e. Ahihziak in, Suanmung leh aheu te hi, thau kaap leh zat daan siam mahmah ngen ahihban uah, thautang a tamthei lam pua ahi ua, a lau tuan teuhkei uhi.

Dakkal nih sung khawllou a a hong kibeih nung un, khat kaapliam in a hong om uhi. Hichimai a luhzoh diing a batlouh ziak un, Suanmung in a pandaan uh a hon khenpih hi. Galvan tawilou teng Khamsiam’ zanglou a ana kinung tolh phot di'n thu a pia hi. Huchiin, thauhoih tawi teng a hongpang thak ua, nasatak in a hong kikaap tuah bobok nawn uhi.

Amau lah a naihtou thei nawnkei ua, langlam te'n lah a hawlkiik zou tuankei uh. Thauging vengvung, meithal tang leeng aam zotzot kawm ah, Suanmung in gaallam ah Niangbawi' aw za hi'n kithei hi. "U Mung, U Mung..." Ka manglam hia, a taktak? Adaak vuaivuai a, bangmah a mu theikei. Thakhat in Suanmung a dingtou a, "Na hon chou taktak uleh, pang ua! Bangmah theilou numei-naupang kaap sang in pasal leh pasal kibei ni," chiin a kikou hi. Hehzaak ta himai. Duty post a LMG tawipa omna mun hawt in a hawt tou hi. Muansang in kuun dia sawl in, a bohpai hi. Huainung teng LMG tawipa' thawm a kiza nawnkei.

A thautang uh akiam hiaihiai a, langlam te'n lah beihpi a hon suahkhum thakthak uhi. Huchih sung in ziinglam dak 2 bang a hon peelta. Langlam te'n amau uumkual dia hong kisakbawl uh ahi, chih Suanmung in a thei a, Muansang' kiang ah ana nungtolh khesuk mai di'n thu a pia hi. Amah zaw Niangbawi' kiang a pai din a manta.

Muansang in, "Nangla, Sir?" achihleh, "Kei zaw ngaihtuah ka ngaikei. Heute dam in inn ana tunpih lechin," chiin a dawng hi. "Hilou..." chia Muansang in adawn leh, "Ana pai ua ka chi. Kin!" chiin Suanmung in, a paamlam a kiboh phei in, a thau akaap zutzut ngaal hi. Muansang in leng thil omdan a theichiang mahmah; ai-anntah a pang mi khat omkei le uh langlam te'n avek ua umkual dia kisa ta ahingal ua. Zahtaakna lianpi toh a heutupa uh nusia in aguuk in a hong kikhiin kheta uhi.

Langlam te'n a heute’ kikhiin khiatna lam, a thaulawng uh a ngatlouh teitei na di un Suanmung in, a lehlam zuantou in thau ana gin hi. A bokvaak tou a, Haijang leh Sumchinvum kizopna lampi kaan thei in, mual lehlam pang ah a kumsuk hi. Siluang bangzah hiam ana kikham teltul atuak a. Huchih lai in, thakhat in a gil a hong savut a, a khuuk kikhep nolh in a puuksuk hi. A puanak akhoih leh sisan in ana depkawt dekduk a. Thohkhiat sawm mahleh, tha a nei nawnkei. A lu a kipei chuaichuai a, a aam a hai huaihuai.

Huchiin, a mit a hon sita.

Muansang te Paldai zaang a tun un kikaaptuahna thauging nasatak a za lai ua, himahleh haanmual a tuntouh tan un bel langlam' te husa kia a kizata. Suanmung' thau ging zaak diing a om nawnkei. Suanmung' thawm a daita.

Ni nih nung tan a leng Suanmung a hong kiiklouh chiang in damlai di’n a gingta nawnkei uhi.

Vangphat huaitak in, Niangbawi bel damtak in Lamka ana tungsuak thei hi. Mahleh, a U Mung’ tanchin a hon zaakchiang in thuak zoulou in a pindan ah a hongkap huphup hi. “U Mung ei, kei ziak a maw hiai tantan na hongpai? Huai Paldai luiguam ah, zaanmial nuai a, na laitah diing kuan in, ka min, khatvei beek, hon na lou mah niteh maw...” Ama a din hinman om a sa nawnkei. Akhut a atawi, Voice of Churachandpur (sic) Evening Post simzom theilou a, mittui in amit a tup vuung dildel lai in, Muansang a hongpai a, "Kin a kin in Lamka College ah vapai ni, thilkhat k'on etsak ut,” a va chi hi.

Lamka College sung ah damlou keem in nurse te ana kivei zatzat ua, a siik khat ah pasal khat gulkaws kikhai a om kiang ava zuan uhi. Agei a tuntak un Niangbawi in “U Mung… U Mung lah na hi a,” chiin a hong kikou khekha zezen a, a mittui a hongpawt zoihzoih hi. Agei ah ava tu a, awl in amai a va zawt thiamthiam hi.

Bangtan khua phawklou a om ahia, chih Suanmung in a theikei. Amit a hon hahkhiat leh agei ah Niangbawi ana tumawk a, lamdang a sa mahmah.

Huchiin, a hong kitawp ngoihngoih uhi.


© vaphualization june 23, 2009 | Thiltung taktak pansan, iitna tangthu phuahtawm ahi. Hilele, a ni pen kitheichiang chiah nawnlou. November, 1997 dia hisaap. Min kizang kha te’n geen neilou ahi aw. And, special thanks to Muan @Zogam.com, for the twisted plot.

June 10, 2009

Singngat MCA Project (2005-2009): My Letter to the Editors of TSE & IFP

It is Singngat. Officially it was Singhat. And now, it's Thinghat.

A report on The Sangai Express

Sports facility inaugurated
Imphal, June 04 2009: GOC 57 Mountain Division Maj Gen Shakti Gurung today handed over the third phase of the Thinghat Model Village which includes a football stadium and sports centre, to the people. The Model village constructed under the military civic action project is said to be a dream project of the then Army Chief General JJ singh, who had himself inaugurated the first two phases of the project in June 2006, according to a PIB (DW) release adding that with the completion of the third phase the entire model village project under 'Op Sadhbhawna' has been materialised. In the first phase, boys and girls hostel and vocational training centre were developed with the second phase initiatives covering renovation of the community hall, water harvesting, supply scheme and provision of books for the library, the release informed. Maj Gen Shakti Gurung, a keen sportsman himself, during the handing over speech reportedly urged the locals, especially the youths to utilize the facilities in honing their sporting talent in addition to expressing hope that the remote village will someday be able to produce sportsmen of national and international repute. The GOC also kicked off an inter-village football tournament organised by the 30 Assam Rifles to commemorate the occasion.


A report on The Imphal Free Press

GOC hands over model village
Imphal, June 4: The GOC 57 Moutain Division, Major Gen. Shakti Gurung today handed over the third phase of the Thinghat Model Village, Military Civic Action Action Project to the Locals, informed a press statement issued by the PIB Defence Wing.

It said that developing insurgency torn Thinghat as a model Village was the dream of the Ex- Army Chief, General JJ. Singh, who had earlier inaugurated the first two phases of the project in June 06. the statement further said that with the completion of the third phase of the rpoject, the entire model village project under ‘Op Sadhbhawna’ has been completed. In the first phase Boys and Girls hostel and vocational Training centre were developed and in the second phase Reonvation of the community hall, water, harvesting, supply scheme and provision of books for the library were carried out stated the released.

It further stated that the GOC, VSM a keen sportsman himself, while handling over the third phase, which includes a football stadium and sports centre, urged the locals, especially the youths to utilize the facilities to hone their sporting talent and expressed hope that the remote village would someday be able to produce sportsmen of national and international repute. The general also also kicked off the inter village football tournament which was organized by the 30 Assam Rifles to commemorate the occasion said the statement and added that the locals expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the GOC and Commandant of the 30 Assam Rifles for their unfettered support to the village of the Thinghat sub-subdivision and promised unflinching supports in defeating the menace of insurgency and bring back normalcy to the area.


Here's my letters to the editors of the two papers.

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to the June 5, 2009 news report, “Sports facility inaugurated” regarding a PIB release stating that the entire model village project under 'Op Sadhbhawna' has been materialised in Thinghat [“GOC hands over model village” regarding a press statement issued by the PIB stating that the Thinghat Model Village, Military Civic Action Project is completed]. Well, I guess this report must be talking about Singngat. I really don’t know since when it became Thinghat. Some go as far as to call it Singhat. Let the authorities please take note that it is, and always, Singngat.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Ex-Army Chief, General JJ Singh for his vision, dream and humanitarian work he has done for the people of Singngat. Also I would like to thank the Army for wiping militants the hell out of Singngat and for restoring peace and stability in the area. And I want to thank them for promoting social progress and development through this MCA project in this far-flung corner of the world, Singngat, which had long been seen merely as a political battlefield to capture loyal votes by politicians. Surely, the Army has outperformed the politicians here.

Launched in 2005, the Singngat MCA project proposed to invest Rs. 2,78,50,000 over the next three years or so on human resource development, educational enhancement, women empowerment and infrastructure development. Some of the components of the scheme have been implemented but, most of them are at best an unfinished agenda. It is the people’s wish that the Army continues to do the good work of completing the unfinished tasks, at the same time maintaining the finished projects so that Singngat could, in reality, serve as a springboard for empowering the untouched, but unquiet hills beyond. This, I think, has been the cherished dream of Gen JJ Singh.

Sincerely,

Haumuanlun Samte

The Sangai Express publishes my letter on June 11, 2009:

‘Singngat not Thinghat or Singhat’

Sir,
This is in reference to the June 5, 2009 news report, “Sports facility inaugurated” regarding a PIB release stating that the entire model village project under ‘Op Sadhbhawna’ has been materialised in Thinghat. Well, I guess this report must be talking about Singngat. I really don’t know since when it became Thinghat. Some go as far as to call it Singhat. Let the authorities please take note that it is, and always, Singngat.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Ex-Army Chief, General JJ Singh for his vision, dream and humanitarian work he has done for the people of Singngat. Also, I would like to thank the Army for wiping militants out of Singngat and for restoring peace and stability in the area. And I want to thank them for promoting social progress and development through this MCA project in this far-flung corner of the world, Singngat, which had long been seen merely as a political battlefield to capture loyal votes by politicians. Surely, the Army has outperformed the politicians here.

Launched in 2005, the Singngat MCA project proposed to invest Rs 2,78,50,000 over the next three years or so on human resource development, educational enhancement, women empowerment and infrastructure development. Some of the components of the scheme have been implemented but, most of them are at best an unfinished agenda. It is the people’s wish that the Army continues to do the good work of completing the unfinished tasks, at the same time maintaining the finished projects so that Singngat could, in reality, serve as a springboard for empowering the untouched, but unquiet hills beyond. This, I think, has been the cherished dream of Gen JJ Singh.

Yours faithfully,

Haumuanlun Samte
Editor, ZogamThuthang
(A Zomi SMS news service)

June 02, 2009

Racist Aussies, eh?

There's an "Ask Vir" section is his website that I stumbled upon recently. I shot my question right away. And he answers. Man, he answers. Presenting to you Vir Sanghvi, the Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times....

http://virsanghvi.com/ask-virdetail.aspx?ID=1229

My Question: Indians are crying foul over the way fellow countrymen are treated in Australia. We brand them Australians as racist. Aren't the media makng too much of this? I'm from the Northeastern state of Manipur and have been living in Delhi for the past five years. I see how Nepalis are being treated. I see how us, Northeastern guys are treated. We are called "Chinky," "Nepalis," "Bahadur," "Chinese"... Don't you think we have to do our homework first? Right here, at home.

Vir Sanghvi's response: I think Indians are an extremely rascist people. I have written about this in the past. And yes, we are getting needlessly hysterical about the Australian situation.

Here's what Vulturo has twitted regarding the issue:
Racist Aussies, eh? Why only racism is so hype-worthy? What about Caste, Class, Language and Religion based attacks in India? Hypocrites!