ECDO requests review of Manipuri Community assessment report
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 21 2020:
The Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO), a non-profit organization working for ethnic minorities in Sylhet region of Bangladesh with the (UN) ECOSOC since 2004, has requested a review of the assessment report on Manipuri Community published by UNESCO through the National Craft Council of Bangladesh and Shadona.
Executive Director of ECDO Lakshmikanta Singh has stated that although noble in its form, the published report lacks in terms of describing the culture and heritage of Manipur.
He alleged that the report did not include renowned resource persons of the community and thus it failed to document the authentic features of the Manipuri community.
The report has also not taken the time to study the literature available on the subject of Manipuris in Bangladesh and has failed to highlight the diversity of different communities that migrated to Bangladesh.
It has presented the different migrant communities under the umbrella term 'Manipuri' thus ignoring the distinct language, culture and traditions of each community.
He said that in order to document authentic information, a team of scholars and intellectuals needs to modify the report by UNESCO and suggested the need for a review.
The present report on the ethnography of Manipur will be wrongly presented to the rest of the world.
Lakhsmikanta also stated that the ECDO and the UN ECOSOC are ready to extend support in the important initiative.