The Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long, apex chief's association of the Tangkhul community, and Meitei Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have unanimously resolved to celebrate "Meitei and Tangkhul cultural exchange programme” apart from resolving to celebrate "Indigenous Brothers Meet" annually.
The decision to hold the event was arrived at during a simple get-together event organised by TNWL on Friday at Heritage centre, Vangayan, Shirui village located few kilometres from Ukhrul headquarters.
Organised by TNWL, as many as eight major Meitei CSOs namely All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO), Kangleipak Kangba Lup (KKL), LIPUL, HERICON, Meitei Lepun, Enat Yokhat Lup (EYL), UPF and Loumi Shinmi Apunba Lup (LSAL) participated in the event.
TNWL president SA Ramnganing led executives, TNWL advisor Tennyson Kashung, TNL president David K Shimray and representatives, Shirui Chingkha headman Khavampam AW, Shirui Ato headman Wungchan Shangh, Tangkhul Naga Ato Longphang chairman Dearson Chamroy, Tangkhul Naga Aze Longphang chairman Shomi Angkang,Tangkhul Naga Zingsho Longphang chairman Joshua Konghar, Tangkhul Naga Zingtun Longphang chairman Ramyo and various headmen from different Tangkhul villages also participated in the get together function.
Speaking at the occasion, SA Ramnganing, president of TNWL, made a clarion call to join hands together and work towards ensuring peace.
"This coming together has nothing to do with politics but to revisit peace, unity and harmony so that our relationship is strengthened and to make this possible, taking up cultural exchange programmes on a regular basis would go a long way towards cementing our relationship,” he said.
Speaking on the parables of frog, he said that the moment one frog in the basin tries to jump out of it, the other frogs inside the basin will pull it back again. This has become a sad reality of Manipur. So, an effort must be made to rejuvenate and get out of this watertight compartment attitude, he asserted.
As part of the day’s coming together, mementoes were handed over to the visiting Meitei CSOs, while the latter presented various Meitei shawls to the Tangkhul CSOs as part of the goodwill mission.
Ramnganing thanked the Meitei CSOs for wholeheartedly responding to the call.
Various CSOs leaders who shared their thoughts in the programme harp on the need to revisit and strengthen the relationship.
Following the interaction, all the members present unanimously resolved to organise Tangkhul and Meitei Cultural Exchange programme (Tangkhul, Meitei Cultural Kumei) in the month of November, 2022.
SA Ramnganing, president of TNWL, and Longjam Ratan Kumar, president of HERICON, were chosen as cultural exchange Organising Committee convenor and co-convenor respectively while Ngamkhei Ngakpa Luwang, secretary of KKL; L. Jadu, advisor of UPF; Okram W Meitei, president of EYL; Somendro Thokchom, president of LIPUL; M Churamani, president of LOUSAL and Dr. Norendro Thokchom, general secretary of AMUCO were appointed as organising committee executive member.
It further resolved to conduct the Cultural exchange programme in the month of November 2022, while fixing of the tentative date has been entrusted to the Organising Committee.
The TNWL and Meitei CSOs also resolved to celebrate "Indigenous Brothers Meet" annually.
