Imphal, Feb. 20: Veteran Congress leader Rishang Keishing today appealed to all tribal communities in Manipur to shun differences and work together to make it a peaceful and progressive state.
Inaugurating Zomi Nam Ni (Zomi national day)-cum mithun festival in Churachandpur town, Keishing, a former chief minister and a representative of the state in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for 23 years, termed Manipur a "museum of people".
The Zomi community observed Zomi Nam Ni with the theme, Marching Forward in Unity, with cultural programmes. Leaders, who addressed the programme, emphasised the need to bring the community together for common good.
The president of Zomi Re-unification Organisation and its armed wing Zomi Revolutionary Army, Thanglian Pau, and the president of Kuki National Organisation, P.S. Haokip, are among those who called for unity of the Zomi community. Both the groups have ceasefire agreement with the government.
Keishing, 96, who escaped 10 life attempts, is the most revered and respected public leader in Manipur today.
"Manipur is a wonderful land, a museum of people. Our cultures are gifts of god. We should stop nurturing the thought of taking revenge. We should instead work together to make Manipur a peaceful land," Keishing told the gathering.
He asked armed groups to try to find the answer to whether their acts of violence were approved by the almighty. Quoting verses from the Bible, he called for a state where communal harmony and order prevails.
Pau recalled that the Zomis had gathered in February 1948 and agreed to observe this day as their national day. Saying that Zomis were divided mainly in three countries - Bangladesh, Myanmar and India - he urged them to continue to work together for a better tomorrow.
Haokip, in his address, hoped the celebrations would help forge unity and bonding among the Zomis.
Delegates and cultural troupes from Myanmar and Mizoram took part in the programme. A football match was organised in the afternoon.
Mithun is an important part of Zomi culture. In ancient times, the wealth of a Zomi family was measured by the number of mithuns it owned. "Considering the importance of the animal in our culture, we have named the festival mithun festival," K.G. Tungung, general secretary of Zomi council, said.
