Imphal, April 21 2009: Upholding kinship between the hill and valley people, the Sajibu Khudol Tamba, Egee Khongul Liba programme of All Manipur Ethnical Socio-Cultural Organsiation (AMESCO) was held at Rangchang village in Chakpkarong sub-division of Chandel district today.

During the programme held at the community hall of the village, sisters from the valley presented gifts to their brothers and uncles of Rangchang, Khubung and Khubung Khunou villages.

The programme was also attended by vice president of AMESCO IB Luwang, chief of Khubung village BD Kano, chief of Khubung Khunou Village SP Ringhing, president of Chiefs' Association of Chakpi Area sub-diviion SL Wangam, president of Nishabandh of Chakpi Sub-Division L Angthing and cgairman of Ching-Tam Peace Committee Khaidem Bijoy as presidium members.

Delivering the key note address of the programme, general secretary of AMESCO S Nando informed that gathering that AMESCO has been organising its Sajibu Khudol Tamba, Egee Khongul Liba programme every year since 2001 .

The main idea of the programme is to keep alive the traditional custom of presentation of gifts by the sisters to their brothers and uncles.

So the programme as such is not against the interest of any community or people of another faith, Nando added.

BD Kano observed that Sajibu Khudol Tamba Egee Khongul Liba programme is very significant and its promotion would able to bring about emotional integration among the hill and the valley people.

SL Wangam pointed out that at one time, people from the hills were not allow to enter the houses of the valley people.

Even drinking water was offered without allowing to touch the cup or the glass.

But today there is no such segregation and the hill and valley people shared their food from the same plate.

It was purely out of ignorant that the valley people discrminated the hill people.

However, along with realisation of such mistake, the valley people have given up their notion of purity and impurity, Wangam noted.

IB Luwang said that prior of recognition of the present 36 tribes in Manipur by their different names, there was only one people and community in Manipur.

In the struggle for survival, different groups of people have gone to different parts and have consequently taken different names.

But essentially, all of us are children of the same parent.