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| Late Sibaram Pegu Photo: misingagomkebang.com |
Noted Mising personality, who was involved with various community
organisations in critical juncture of the tribe- Sibaram Pegu- is no
more. Pegu left for heavenly abode after a week-long illness at his
Laimekuri residence yesterday in Jonai.
Pegu was a dedicated
community mobilizer who lead the people during nascent stage of Mising
ethnic nationalism from seventies to early nineties. He was a founder
member of Takam Mising Porin Kébnag ( TMPK), that was re-christened on October 16, 1972 at Jonai Higher Secondary
School, after the bifurcation of All Abor-Miri Assam-NEFA Students' Union ( another group is the powerful All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union),
when the state of Arunachal Pradesh was declared first as union
territory. During the period of anti-foreigners movement of Assam from
1979 to 1985, he had to left his post-graduation studies incomplete from
Gauhati University. He went to establish, later on, the Laimekuri
Koneng High School, realizing the importance of women education and
empowerment in the society.
Pegu was an active member of
Mising literary movement in the eighties. He served as the general
secretary of Mising Agom Kebang from 1983 to 1987 consecutively. It was
during his tenure the Mising language was recognized formally with
adoption of Roman script in October 30, 1986, when the regional party
AGP was in power in Assam, which is today observed as language day by
the community. The Mising organizations have expressed deep condolence
over his untimely demise and said it was irreparable loss to the
society. His mortal body was taken around several places in Jonai where
hundreds of people paid their last respects to the deceased Mising
national personality. His body was cremated with full honours according
to Mising social rituals and rites. He was born in Haldhibari village of
Sisikalghar and was 58. He left behind his wife, a son and three
daughters as well as number of friends, relatives and well-wishers.
Reminiscence of personal encounter with the leader
Last month in early July, when I met him in
Laimekuri, whom I fondly called Tato, he was looking quite well. When I
enquired about his well-being , he replied in positive and exhorted me
for further good studies. " No okkoméi idakji aiyo:pé ilang", he advised me. Once in summer 2009, he came over to our house to congratulate me on hearing the news that I passed my graduation with flying colours from Cotton College, my parents told me, later, since I was already back to Guwahati . When I was doing my post-graduate studies, and was in home due to a brief vacation, he once stopped me and passed me hundred bucks seeing me to have light refreshment in the journey to Guwahati. He didn't gave me just the bucks but shared inspiring thoughts with me, which I will remember it in my entire life, for it is done rarely in our place. He had that personality , at least , to inspire the lower strata within the community, not just a leader. I am really very sad to learned that a
towering personality like him is no more in the society. I was thinking
of having an interview relating to the present and past state of society
with him one day but he didn't lived upto that. With tears...I am
expressing my grief. RIP my dear Tato!
