Manipur unites in grief, across the ethnic divide
GUWAHATI:
Divided by ethnic strife for more than two years, Manipur has united in grief in the wake of the June 12 crash of Flight AI-171.
Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups, yearning for peace, have mourned the deaths of both 20-year-old Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who is part of the Meitei community, and 26-year-old Lamnunthem Singson, a member of the tribal Thadou community, in equal measure.
The pair were among the 10 cabin crew members of Air India's London-bound flight, which crashed seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad.
'Huge loss for all'
'Both were full of life, serving with dedication and pride. Their sudden passing is a huge loss for their families, friends, and for all of us back home. May their souls rest in peace and may their loved ones find the strength to get through this unimaginable pain,' former Manipur Chief Minister, Nongthombam Biren Singh, posted on X.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, which has been seeking a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo people since the ethnic conflict with the non-tribal Meiteis broke out in May 2023, said it was pained by the crash that killed 241 people on board, including the two crew members from Manipur.
The tribal Thadou Students Association issued a statement with the photos of both Ms. Sharma and Ms. Singson to 'express heartfelt condolences to both bereaved families' while assuring necessary assistance to them during this difficult time.
'Two daughters of our soil'
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, which upholds Meitei pride, said it stands in deep solidarity with the families who lost 'two precious daughters of our soil'. A spokesperson of the Meitei Heritage Society said: 'In death, we are all the same. A tiny State with a population less than many big districts of India, divided on narrow ethnic lines by a few vested interest groups.'
Ms. Singson was among those who were displaced from Manipur's capital, Imphal, during the peak of the ethnic conflict. She and her family relocated to Kanggui in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.
Grieving families
'She was the sole breadwinner of the family for the past few years,' her widowed mother, Nemnelihing Singson, said. She said she raised her daughter and three sons with difficulty since their father passed away years ago.
Air India recruited Ms. Sharma in Imphal three years ago, while she was studying for an undergraduate course. 'She worked from Mumbai,' K. Khenjita, one of her relatives, said from Imphal.
Her last message before take-off: 'I'm going to London. In a few minutes, we'll take off. We may not be able to talk afterwards.'
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