Guwahati: Renowned fashion designer from Manipur, Robert Naorem, seeks international and national attention on the ongoing Manipur crisis with the hope to restore normalcy and peace in the state.
Naorem said that violence-hit Manipur is in need of support from the Centre and State government, including all residents of the state to bring back peace.
“Manipur is inhabited by various communities belonging to different religions. The present clash is due to some misunderstandings between two communities and not about religion at all. It can be taken as a clash between brothers of the same family,” the designer told the state’s DIPR.
The clash, Naorem observed, is not about Hindus and Christians or Meiteis and tribals. “There are many religions which predominantly stay in our state. The national media is focusing more on religion without highlighting the ground reality and it is quite unfortunate,” he shared.
He recounted his collaboration with both the tribal communities that are in the focus of the ongoing clashes. “I have worked closely with both the communities. Recently, I did shows based on the Kuki community supporting the tribal motifs at Kangokpi and Churachandpur districts. Whenever I showcased something across the world, I never miss out my tribal brothers and sisters and the beautiful weaves of the tribals. It is necessary to bring back those moments and I always feel proud to work with all the communities,” Naorem said.
Saying that he supports peace, Naorem appealed to both the communities to stop the violence as the society is suffering. As the state is thriving towards development and promotion of its tourism especially with the recently concluded Femina Miss India, he said that the present situation should not be a hindrance to the tourism sector.
He then appealed to all the communities to stop violence and get involved in the developmental process taken up by the government, and to work together to let Manipur shine to the rest of the world.
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Robert Naorem is a fashion entrepreneur, designer and makeup artist. He is known for his contribution towards the handloom and textiles of Manipur. Robert was honoured with the Global Warming Award in May 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia. He was awarded the International iconic award in 2017 (Handloom & textile of India) by Gold Tower group & foundation. He earned “the most inspirational designer of 2017” award for showcasing his collections at India Fashion Week London and best international designer India, at international fashion week Milan, Italy 2019.
Very recently, he showcased his ‘Manipur Round’ collection at the Femina Miss India 2023 pageant which was held at Imphal, Manipur sponsored by the Manipur Tourism of the Government of Manipur.
Also read: Amit Shah promises ‘neutral’ probe into Manipur violence, CBI inquiry