INSCRIPTION ON THE STONE:
“MAY OUR LAST WALK BE YOUR FIRST STEP”
AT NO POINT IN HISTORY HAVE THE ANCESTRAL TERRITORIES OF THE INDIGENOUS ZO (CHIN-KUKI-ZOMI/MIZO) AND NAGA ETHNIC TRIBES OF PRESENT-DAY MANIPUR BEEN A PART OF THE ERSTWHILE MANIPURI KINGDOM. RATHER, THE ZO AND NAGA TRIBES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOVEREIGN, AUTONOMOUS AND SELF-GOVERNING UNTIL THE BRITISH IMPERIALISTS AMALGAMATED THE VALLEY KINGDOM WITH THE SURROUNDING ZO AND NAGA TERRITORIES FOR PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE AND WITHOUT ANY HISTORICAL JUSTIFICATION. UNDER BRITISH INDIA, WHILE THE MANIPURI MONARCH CONTINUED TO RULE OVER HIS SUBJECTS IN THE VALLEY, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADMINISTERING THE TRIBES IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS, AS MAY BE NECESSARY, RESTED WITH THE BRITISH POLITICAL AGENT.
IN 1949,