Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, July 16:
Among other smaller tribes asserting their independent identities as ethnic communities, the Aimol Tribe Union, Manipur, strongly condemned the alleged attempts made by some persons or communities �with vested interests� to include or assimilate the Aimol community into other community group, referring to press statements published in sections of local newspapers by some persons.
It also appealed to all the majority community groups not to make forcible impositions on the Aimol community against the wishes of the community itself.
It is worth mentioning here that some other ethnic communities which are roughly presumed to be included in the Naga community have made their similar assertions and disputed their identification by the generic name.
In a statement, the Aimol Tribe Union, Manipur, with headquarters at Aimol Tampak, Chandel district, said the Aimol are just a minority peace-loving �intermediary� community who have been living in Manipur since time immemorial without owning allegiance to any particular group.
Striking a note of fidelity to the state integrity and unity of all communities herein, the union appealed to all sections of communities of Manipur to maintain peace and harmony, and said the Aimols always believe in peaceful co-existence and mutual respect for all communities irrespective of the caste, creed and religion.
On the other hand, it strongly condemned the insincere attitude of the Centre in handling the �vexed issues concerning the people of Manipur�.
It further appealed to all communities living in Manipur not to fall into the trap of the divide-and-rule policy of the Central government.