ZOMI MY PEOPLE - ZOGAM MY LAND

By Amasa Vaiphei
Friday, 27 February 2009
~ Amasa Vaiphei
Chung thang van ah sawltha a hung eng chang inA Siamtu Chung Pathian ka gel zing.Len gual zatam nuam in a leng dial dial ui…Pak gim tui in Gam tin a zem.Aw nang Ka Gam ka lenna Gam mun nuamZatam nun nuam ka bual nau.A sunga leng la vawnchawi zosia te’nChul mai ding in ka phal thei puai ZOGAM, chul lo zen in.
Tang tin leh Mual tin muisum in a bawm e..A gam thingle pak tin in a zemZuu leh vaa te’n nuam in zaila’n nau bang awiZOGAM pak luun zing hen a tiu.Sun ni hung sa’n, chul thinglim dap nuai ka bel.Zatam gen zou siktui ka dawn hi,Chung leng vaa te’n nuam in zaila’n awi in.Chenna Zolei aw a nuam ngei. This song really inspires me. My beloved Zomite, I want to draw a comparison of our People with the People of Israeli. Like the Israeli, we are sub-divided into different Tribes. Israel is comprised of Twelve Tribes, from the eldest Reuben Tribe to the youngest Benjamin Tribe. They were referred to as the Tribe of Benjamin or the Tribe of Judah or the Tribe of Gad of the Israeli. We should also refer to as the Tribe of Vaiphei, The Tribe of Paite, the Tribe of Zou, The Tribe of Simte and The Tribe of Teddim etc of the Zomi. When we talk of Zomi, it talks the Father like Israel, and when we talk of Vaiphei, Paite or Zou, it talks of the Children like those of Benjamin, Judah etc. In Vaiphei dialect, a person from Vaiphei Tribe has to be known as “Vaiphei Nam a mi, Zomi”. We need not speak one common language, there is no such law that declares One Nation has to speak one Particular language. We said it is the Language that divides us, I completely disagree. The way I see it, it is not the Language, but rather it’s your Attitude, your Mindset and the way you Think of Others is what divided us to this day. Whatever languages each Tribe has been spoken since Time immemorial are the languages of Zomi. It should be the national language for Zogam. We need to respect each tribe, their custom, language even the smallest in number. We need to regard each language important to the others even if they are smallest in number. No Tribe should claim majority and enforce authority over the other, because that would truly be dangerous. It could hamper the relation which could take years and years to fix it again. We need to represent the world as one Nation with multi- language. It does not matter as far as we are one.Let me tell you a story - There was once a Rich Man who is in charge of governing a Town. Different people lived there. When the funds for the development of the people have been sanction, he corrupts all the money and goes to his pocket. Time passed and he became richer and richer while his people grew poorer and poorer. One by one the People left the Town in search of a better place to live while some died of hunger. One day, a bunch of bandits attacked the Town, no one was there defend except the Rich Man. He cried out for help, but no one was there, he was killed and all his riches were plundered. There was another Rich Man who was too in charge of a Town where he dwells. He is a generous man who not only thought for himself but for the others too. Whatever funds come for the development of the Community, it was utilized appropriately. The Town flourishes year after year, and the People grew richer and richer, more developed than before. One day, a bunch of bandits attacked the Town, the Townsmen were well armed and prepared for it, The Rich Man cried for help, from corner to corner every young and old rushed to help. They thought their leader’s life is much more important than theirs. Such bonding, such love makes them strong and much stronger than the intruders. The Bandits were badly defeated, they will even think a hundred times before they even think of attacking the Town yet again.So my dear friend, which of the two Rich Man should you chooses? The Choice is still yours.Dear Friend, we have a land to lived, the place where our forefather dwelled, for generations to generations the place where we inhabited, our forefather called it Zogam, is where we belong, this is our land, this is our Home. But we need an acknowledgement from the government. We need recognition from India, that we have the right to call ourselves Zomi, yes that’s what we are; we have the right to replaced Churachandpur as Zogam. No one can deny us from this right. But we need a voice; we need a mass of people claiming our right. A mere single voice is too little to be paid attention for the Indian Government. Lets raise our Voice altogether. From my point of view, if Zomi Coucil is the governing body for the Zomi. It should act as a voice representing Zomi. It should comprise a member from each Tribe, if Paite Tribe has four members in Zomi Coucil, the Vaiphei or Zou or Simte or Teddim should also have four members each. The VPC of the Vaiphei Tribe could send three or four of its executive members as delegate in the Zomi Coucil. Similarly The PNC of the Paite Tribe, The UZC of the Zou Tribe, STC of the Simte Tribe and the others too. They should act as an executive member or a delegate elected fairly and appropriately. It should not be self –elected or self-proclaimed. Most importantly, No Tribe should claim majority to the others, or favors one over the other. We need a change in our system; we need an urgent change in our governing body. We are not oppressed physically but economically. We need to raise our voice to our Politician as ONE. We need proper connection of Roads with our neighboring states, we need regular electricity. Let the Zomi Coucil be strong to raise its voice. Let the people support and watch each others back. If the Politician does not comply, they should be ex-communicated from the Society. It is high time we have to do this. There is too little time we have now to talk about Clans or sub clans. I won’t even care if a Vaiphei Politician is ex-communicated if he/she does not do his job which he/she has been entrusted to. I won’t even think twice to vote against him/her, if it’s for the betterment of our People. Let us chose wisely for our leader, let us not be tempted anymore for money or clans or language or tribe to vote for the right person the next time we have an election. Remember; Vote not because he/she speaks the same language as you do, but because he will execute his job. In Zomi we can’t differentiate language or favors one language over the others. Favoritisms have done much damage to our society for a long time now, should we continue doing it? It’s your choice.A single stick can be broken so easily but if you tied those tiny sticks together, it is hard to break. Should we stand alone and fight alone or should we stand together and fight as one Nation? The Choice is still ours, my People.Like the US President Barack Obama said, “We will rise and fall as one Nation”. I called to you my People, let us rise as One Nation, and if we do fall let us fall as one People.

Source~ Zogam.com