•-The Ao Senden Literature Board, Mokokchung is constrained to give this clarification referring to an article appeared in Nagaland, Post (post-mortem column dated February 17th, 2011) written by one Imti Jamir from Kohima. That, the Ao language was in existence ever since the emergency of the Aos as human beings. How Mr. Imti Jamir claimed that Ao never spoke Ao language while living in Chungliyimti and how can he claim that there was no Ao language before Chungliyimti?. Whatever language or dialect spoken by the Aos before reaching Chungliyimti was their language. The people who spoke either Jungli or Mongsen dialect were the Aos in Chungliyimti or even before Chungliyimti. Therefore, his understanding about the origin of Ao language only after the advent of Christianity is absolutely wrong and misleading. Before publishing such contradictory information, he should have consulted at least some one who knew about the origin of Ao language.
Again, the question of surrendering themselves (Jungli and Mongsen) in order to have a new common language for younger generation as stated by the writer is totally wrong and misleading. They never surrendered the rights of speaking their respective dialects to have a common language as misunderstood by him. It is expected that educated person like Imti Jamir should understand that Ao language is not a combination of Jungli and Mongsen dialect. However, it was a necessity to adopt Jungli dialect as a common language through the initiative of Rev. E.W. Clark, but that cannot to be considered as the origin of Ao language as misreported by the author. Moreover, he has no authority to give direction to anybody to write Jungli, Mongsen, Changki or Nagamese as their mother tongue for the Aos as stated by him while filling up Household Schedule Q.10 about mother tongue because Census of India and the origin of Ao language has no relation. It is a shame on the part of an Ao who don’t/ cannot speak Ao language as an Ao as his/her mother tongue.
The Ao Senden Literature Board therefore, strongly condemns and rejects such highly confused statements given by Imti Jamir, Kohima.
President,
-Ao Senden Literature Board,
Mokokchung
