Dimapur, August 24 (MExN): The heritage and culture of the Ao Naga society is gradually being weakened by the assimilation of non-locals and their cultures into the community, the Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) said today. The AKM cited as instance matrimonial alliances of Ao and “non-locals” and the practice of giving the latter “citizenship” and “family names.”
Contextualizing its stance in the backdrop of the ongoing Survival Mokokchung campaign, the Ao students’ apex today asked all to “withdraw” the “citizenships” and family names given to non-locals. This must be done by August 31, a note from the AKM executives said today. Also, citizens who provide ‘safe haven’ to non-locals are warned of action.
The Ao Students’ Conference called upon the Ao people to sanctify their rich customs and tradition. Their heritage has been “inflexed” by anti-social and cultural elements, the AKM said. The organisation said it will scrutinise all “anti-social and cultural works” to preserve the Ao heritage.
The students’ organisation said to have found that the present Ao society is “amalgamated to Ao-non local traditions due to inter marriage between the Ao and the non-locals and has also been given citizenship and names to them.” The AKM asks to “all those who has caused threat to exterminate the limpidness of Ao socio-cultural texture to withdraw the citizenship and family names given to the non locals by Aug. 31st last.”
Non-locals who smear the name of the Ao are warned of action against them as also for those who provide haven to the non-locals. Further, in pursuance of the Survival Mokokchung campaign, the Ao Students’ Conference informed that the renewal of the “AKM Survival Census Card” will start from September 7, 2009 onward. All non-locals residing in Mokokchung town are informed to be present in person with the required documents and guarantors on the given date on 10:00 Am at the AKM office complex.
