NPF leads protest against border fencing at Longwa, vows to defend Naga land

A public rally in protest against the border fencing was organized by the Naga People’s Front (NPF) at Longwa on April 1, 2025. During the rally, Achumbemo Kikon, MLA & Secretary General of the Naga People’s Front, reiterated the points raised by the Angh of Longwa, who stated that their village, Longwa, existed long before the independence of both Burma and India.

According to a press release issued by the Press Bureau of the NPF, Kikon also echoed the message shared by the Student Leader of Longwa, emphasizing that the youth will stand for the rights of the people of Longwa and will leave no stone unturned in defending what their forefathers and elders have entrusted to them. He warned that anyone who encroaches upon their land against their wishes would do so at their own peril.

Opposition to border fencing and FMR
Kikon, as a person who has been fighting for the rights of the Nagas on various platforms and as an elected representative of the NPF, reaffirmed his commitment to opposing the implementation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the border fencing. He stated that the NPF is a party that stands with its people and will support them in their time of need. Unlike other parties, which operate from air-conditioned rooms, the NPF is a party that speaks for and acts in the interest of its people.

Concerns over division of Longwa
Kikon, who is totally against fencing the border, also questioned the logic of dividing the Angh of Longwa’s home into two parts, as it lies in both Burma and India. He urged the Government of India (GOI) to reconsider this decision.

He emphasized that the Naga people should not allow such a division to occur by any means. He explained that the families and relatives of the villages are spread across both sides of the border. He pointed out that even their domesticated animals roam freely across the border, further highlighting the absurdity of fencing the border. He stressed that the Naga people are not encroaching on anyone else’s land but are simply protecting their own land and heritage.

“We are living on our own land, and no one has the right to divide our home,” Kikon said. “We Nagas know our rights, and it is India that is attempting to curb them. We will protect our land at all costs. This is our land, and we will never allow any force to divide it again.”

Call for Naga unity
He reminded the gathering that Nagas have been divided by external forces in the past, with Nagas living in various states and countries, including Burma, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland. He declared that it is now time for the Nagas to stand together and protect their unity. “Nagas are not nomads,” he emphasized. “We live in settled villages and return to our homes.

We cherish our traditions, and the Angh system of governance continues to guide us. We fought the British not to live under their control, and we will not live under anyone’s control.”

Kikon also criticized the Indian government’s “Act East Policy” and “Neighbourhood First” policy, pointing out that constructing a border fence undermines these very policies. He argued that the government’s actions are in direct contradiction to their own stated intentions.

Rejection of McMahon Line
The press release stated that the NPF is firmly against the McMahon Imaginary Line. Kikon reminded the audience that the Nagas will continue to stand firm in defending the land that their forefathers preserved for future generations. He also referred to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, who once described tribal areas as “the long frontier of India, which are neither part of India nor Burma nor any foreign state.” Kikon recounted how, during a public meeting in Kohima, Naga leaders were denied the opportunity to speak and submit a memorandum to the Indian and Burmese Prime Ministers, Nehru and U Nu. This act of humiliation likely contributed to the subsequent division of Naga lands, a division that Kikon vowed to continue resisting.

He asserted that while the government may have divided the Nagas in the past, they will not rest until their rights are respected. “It is our time to stand up for the rights our forefathers fought for, for the good of future generations,” he urged. “If we do not stand for our rights today, it will be us who suffer in the end.”

Kikon also shared Dr. Neiphiu Rio’s recent statements in the state assembly, where the Chief Minister expressed strong opposition to the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime and the construction of the border fence. Kikon called on the general public to unite and support one another in this struggle. “The real fight starts here (Border Villages),” he declared. “We must speak with one voice, and together, we will fight for our rights.”

The rally was attended by the NPF Central Team, led by its President, Apong Pongener, MLA & Secretary General Achumbemo Kikon, Central Office Bearers, office bearers of the Central Youth Wing and Women’s Wing, the Angh of Longwa, Council Leaders, Student Leaders, Women Leaders, and the general public of Longwa.

MT