A Concern on “Path Finder : A Simple and Comparative Study of Chakhesang Languages” — Sümi Village Council

While appreciating good work of Chakhesang Public Organisaton (CPO) and its Research Committee for bringing out PATH FINDER : A SIMPLE AND COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHAKHESANG LANGUAGES published by Chakhesang Public Organisation, 2019. We want to bring a few concerns to the notice of CPO and its Research Committee members.

We fully understand the purpose of CPO that the outcome of the research is for better communication and to foster brotherhood who speak Chakhesang languages such as Chokri, Khezha-Kuzhale and Poula. A comparative study of these three languages is well appreciated and for which we do not have any comments or complain. However, Chakhesang do have Sümi, Rengma and Sangtam languages.There is no single word or line mentioned about these languages. They are totally ignored and excluded as Chakhesang languages.

There are eight villages, which speak Sümi language. Indeed, they are the third largest group among Chakhesang. There is also Rengma speaking village and Sangtam speaking village. A comparative study of these languages may not be taken into consideration as the CPO and Research Committee had selected to study only three languages. Yet, the existence of other languages should be mentioned, if the CPO considered them to be part of Chakhesang. It appears that the CPO and its Research Committee denied their existence and identity among Chakhesang. For language is one identity.

Exclusion of brothers and sisters may not bring unity and brotherhood. Rather, it may create disunity among our own people. We need clarification whether the other languages apart from Chokri, Khezha- Kuzhale and Poula are considered as Chakhesang.

Neitelo Rhakho
Chairman,
Village Council, Sümi