State joins 9/11 mourning
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 11 2011: Manipur joined the comity of Nations in mourning the terror attack at the World Trade Centre, New York on September 11, 2001 where Jupiter Yambem was among those killed.

As per the rites and rituals of Vaishnavite Hinduism, the death anniversary of Jupiter was held at his birth place at Uripok Yambem Leikai.

A religious feast for a deceased person locally known by Vaishnavites as 'Chahigi din' was also held to commemorate the death anniversary where the bereaved family members, his friends and well wishers took part.

Jupiter was among the nearly 3000 people killed in Al-qaeda's synchronized attacks on the World Trade Centre (WTC) in New York and other strategic areas in the US on this day in September 2001 .

He was on the 107th floor of the north WTC tower where he worked as banquet manager in "Windows on the World", the world's tallest restaurant when the plane crashed into the building.

"Ten years have gone but memories of my sweet brother are still fresh and alive in our minds," said Jupiter's elder brother Yambem Laba.

"We have been observing Jupiter's memorial ceremony annually since a year after 9/11.Today's anniversary is very important because it is the tenth year and another point is the killing of al-qaeda leader Osama Bin Ladena,the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in the same year.

With Laden's death, my brother's soul also rest in peace," said Laba, a senior journalist and former director of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy and member of Manipur Human Rights Commission.

Jupiter (then 42), is survived by his American wife Nancy McCardle Yambem and 15-year-old son Santi Mc Cardle aka Chinglailakpa meaning 'dragontamer' and the small family is living in New York.

"Yesterday Nancy sent an e-mail saying her little family would join the memorial ceremony at Ground Zero.

She missed all of us, she said while regretting for her failure to travel to Manipur to join Imphal ceremony," Laba said.

Nancy, nevertheless travels to Manipur along with her son almost every after two years to strengthen the link between Manipuris and the American families.

On similar cause a unit christened 'Jupiter Yambem Centre' has also been opened at Imphal.

In 2002 Laba, along with his late father Yambem Tombi travelled to New York and joined the memorial service for Jupiter at Ground Zero.

At his youthful age of 20, Jupiter led an Indian team as a councilor of visually impaired for a sojourn in the US christened �Camp America program.

He then stayed in the US for a few years during which he struggled hard to make his own carrier there by self-financing and later he became the founding president of the North American Manipuri Association, (Nama).

"On the fateful day Jupiter was in charge of arranging a corporate deal in the restaurant and before he passed away he rapidly carried out a last minute rescue operation to save other victims," an emotional Laba said.

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