Museum for peace opened in memory of World War II at Imphal

Our Correspondent

Maibam Lokpa Ching (Manipur), June 22 (EMN): A war museum called Imphal Peace Museum was inaugurated on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imphal at Maibam Lokpa Ching, popularly known as Red Hill, 20 km south west of Imphal in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Saturday.

The Battle of Imphal which is regarded as one of the fiercest battles of World War II.

The museum was constructed in a land area of around 10 acres at the foothill of Red Hill with the support of the Nippon Foundation (TNF), a non-profit grant making organisation in collaboration with Manipur Tourism Forum and Manipur Government.

“This thematic museum will give you a glimpse into the past right from the World War II (March-July 1944) to the present Manipur,” said researcher (on war) Rajeshwar Yumnam, President of World War II Imphal Campaign Foundation.

“This is a kind of unique museum and it could the first of its kind in the country as we divided the museum into three sections,” he said.

The first section of the museum exhibits a timeline of the Battle of Imphal, along with names of casualties in the war. It also features names of the local people of Manipur who joined the Indian National Army.

Artefacts’ of the war such as artillery shells and other items collected by locals, valuable personal notes photographs, donated by those who have fought and survived the war besides map of battle of Imphal and uniform of a Japanese soldier brought from Japan are on display.

The second section depicts the post war scenarios in Manipur highlighting the impact of war and the recovery process. Antique television, photographs, cameras and others devices are being displayed, highlighting the entry of the modern world into Manipur as a result of the Second World War II.

Another section displays arts and cultural of Manipur through photographs, audio-visual features and still models.

A framed calligraphy by the Prime Minister Abe Shinzo of Japan with the word ‘Peace’ or ‘Heiwa’ in Japanese which is an unfaltering hope for a peaceful future was the main attraction of the museum.

“It’s good to have a museum of such kind here as the region (Manipur) is now connected with us” said Nobuo Abe, a resident of Tochigi city in Japan who visited Manipur in search of his father, an Japanese infantry soldier‘s remains.

According to Abe who is a member of Japan Bereaved Association, who conducts field survey in India for recovery and repatriation of war casualty, his father Soichi Abe (30), a Japanese infantry soldier died in the battle of Imphal on April 16, 1944.

Another five more Japanese families including wife of Sonoka Sawai who is yet to trace the whereabouts of her grand uncle Touru Kamii, a Japanese soldier also attended in the museum opening programme.

The programme was attended Manipur Revenue minister Karam Shyam, Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu,High Commissioner of UK Dominic Asquith,Chairman Yohei Sasakawa of TNF,MLAs Dr S Ranjan and N Loken.

Around 80 representatives of Japanese companies in India and a British delegation also attended the day’s inaugural function which was held under the theme ‘Peace and Reconciliation.’