TAMENGLONG, July 20 NNN: The All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) today observed the 8th death anniversary of Namthiurei Abonmei who lost his life on July 20, 2005 at the Irang River in Tamenglong district during the 52-day long ANSAM economic blockade.
ANSAM terms that Abonmei died while “resisting domination of a struggling people by the State and its allies”.The programme was held at ANSAM Martyr’s Park in Tamenglong.
“In 2005, ANSAM had imposed economic blockade for 52 days straight against the Manipur government decision declaring June 18 as state holiday.
Leaders of Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur (ZBM), All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur (ZSUM), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Tamenglong District, Zeliangrong Youth Front, Tamenglong Zone and many frontal organisation leaders went to the grave of late Namthiurei Abonmai and paid rich floral tributes to mark the occasion today.
These Naga organisations then presented a token of love to Akhianliu, wife of late Namthiurei Abonmei and also to the five children.
Thomas Kamei, chairman Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur and Seth Satshang, president of ANSAM also spoke on the occasion.
Majabung Gangmei, a prominent Zeliangrong leader said a one-minute silent prayer was observed in all the Naga areas as a symbol of respect to late Abonmei.
Meanwhile, ANSAM chief Seth Shatsang said, “In his death we lost a dynamic young soul who understood that peace is hard earned. He was survived by his wife, 5 (five) children and a burning hope for the Naga people.”
“It may be recalled that June 2001 changed the meaning and discourse of peace in Manipur and it became to mean peace that is understood only by dominant people forgetting to embrace and include struggling peoples in its ambit. They declared, ‘There are no Nagas in Manipur state’ and protested against the extension of ceasefire in the Naga areas. The unwarranted incidents that took place remain as bitter memories and have today come to unfortunately define relationships and solidarity too,” Seth Shatsang stated.
According to the Naga students’ body leader, to add to the insult the Government of Manipur in accordance with the dominant group’s civil society and intellectuals declared June 18 as a Holiday , ANSAM had launched an economic blockade on both the National Highways – 39 & 53 (now 2 & 37 respectively). “The State Government instead of finding a way out chose to use force that called for leaders like Eno. Namthiurei Abonmei to give up his life, to send the message that voices of Naga people and other marginalized communities of Manipur will not be silenced by the ‘powerful’ state and its allies,” the ANSAM president said.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/death-anniversary-of-abonmei-held/
