Aimols hold protest rally against erection of monolith
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Chandel, November 20 2015 : Large number of people from Aimol Community organised a mass protest rally and staged a sit-in against the erection of a monolith in commemoration of the tribe joining the Naga conglomeration at Pallel Bazar on Friday.

Hundreds of protesters including women participated in the rally which began from Aimol Ngairong Village and proceeded towards Unapal Lamkhai along the Imphal-Moreh section of National Highway 102 via Pallel Bazar.

Later, they staged a sit-in protest at a waiting shed in Pallel Bazar.

The protesters were holding several placards inscribed "Naga Stone Erection in Aimol Land is not acceptable, We are not Naga, Aimol will be Aimol- No suffix or prefix to the Aimol Tribe, We the Aimol people protest and condemn a monolith stone erection of Naga Stone in Aimol land, etc" .

Aimols hold protest rally against erection of monolith

On the sidelines of the protest, Akhel Aimol, President of Aimol Tribe Union Manipur (ATUM) said that the majority of the Aimol people living in Churachandpur, Sadar Hills, Chandel and other places did not accept the declaration of Aimol as Naga on April 13 last and subsequent erection of a monolith in connection with the declaration.

"The declaration and erection of the monolith is a handiwork of some individuals for their own interests with the support of four villages out of 15 Aimol Villages in Manipur", he said.

Akhel Aimol also maintained that Aimol is unique and indigenous tribe of the State having distinct custom, culture, tradition and dialect.

The identity of one's tribe cannot be changed by mere erection of a monolith.

"As such Aimol cannot be a Naga by erecting a monolith or hundred such erections", said the President.

The Aimol Tribe's President further maintained that Aimol will be remain as Aimol and will peacefully co-exist with other communities as it was before.

Chandel's ADC member from 7- Aimol Tampak DCC, Ch Chanthoi Aimol who is also advisor and former Tribe's President said that "despite the people unanimously adopting the principle of neutrality in 2001 in which it was decided that individuals, tribe's President or Village Chief should not dragg the Aimol Tribe into any other community fold, the former president S Munthuireng in collusion with some Naga declared Aimol as a Naga which is unacceptable to the people" .

Monolith unveiled .

Meanwhile, the newly constructed monolith declaring Aimol as a Naga Tribe was unveiled by Chandel Naga Peoples Organisation (CNPO) President Kanral Anal on behalf of United Naga Council (UNC) President on Friday at Satu village in Chandel District.

The monolith reads - "Recognised Aimol Tribe as Naga on August 22, 2015 which was earlier declared on September 13, 2015, affiliated to CNPO under UNC on November 19, on brief Account: Settlement order of the Aimol village as Naga Bari on August 15, 1907.Land boundary-record, valley and hills as Naga in 1915-16, recognized of the Aimol Tribe by the Government of India on October19, 1956" .