IMPHAL, August 23: Following yesterday`™s gunning down of an Aimol villager, Manglun alias Walunglua Aimol, allegedly by the NSCN(IM), the Aimol Tribe Union, Manipur, in a statement today came out strongly defending the NSCN(IM) action, saying the murdered man is a UKLF PRO, appointed on June 13-14, this year at Ngairong Village by the UKLF.
The release also identified the injured persons in the same incident as Parithoi Aimol from Khunjai, a UKLF sergeant major, besides Joseph Kuki, Asiak Aimol and another Kuki persons, all UKLF cadres.
The release clarified that there has been no one trying to force the Aimols to join the Naga family, for the Aimol people themselves had sought to be inducted into the Naga family. The portrayal otherwise in the media was false propaganda of the family of the deceased persons, it said.
The release further thanked the NSCN(IM) for their endless effort to accept the Aimol tribe into the Naga family.
Listing past crimes against the Aimol tribe by Kuki militants, the release said the UKLF fired on the Aimol Tribe President`™s residence on July 2 this year, and the attackers were led by Manglun alias Walunglua who was killed yesterday.
It further charged that on May 31, one Maj. Aditya Kapoor of the AR E Coy, came with masked UKLF men who they recognised as Jacob alias Thangboi from the ceasefire monitoring cell and fired from AK-47 rifles at women on night duty killing Mrs. Ruisoting Aimol and injuring three others.
It also charged that on August 6 at Pallel Bazar, two women leaders of Aimol Kumbirei Village were hit with an Activa two wheeler by two UKLF men, and were later accosted by the public and handed over the NSCN(IM), and upon interrogation by the NSCN(IM) they have revealed they were instructed by UKLF high authorities to kill and torture Aimol people.
The release further said the UKLF has been torturing and harassing the Aimol people since 2014, and it appealed to the media not to accept propaganda spread by vested interests without first confirming with the Aimol Tribe Union, Manipur.