KLA-L accuses India and neighbors of redrawing borders without indigenous consent
The Kuki Liberation Army Letkholun (KLA L) has alleged that the creation and fencing of international borders in the region have divided families, disrupted traditional governance, and violated the rights of indigenous communities. In a statement titled “The Lines That Bind: Dividing Us,” the KLA-L said the borders imposed by India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar were created without the consent of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people.
According to the statement, “The imposition of international borders by the Government of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar on the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people exemplifies a paradigmatic case of territorial demarcation sans indigenous consent.” It added that the move disregards provisions under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), particularly the right to self-determination and the need for free, prior, and informed consent in matters concerning their lands and governance.
The group stated that ongoing border fencing, especially along the India-Myanmar border, has intensified the divide. “This action has deleterious consequences for familial units, cultural practices, and traditional governance structures,” the statement said.
Several villages including Jangoubung, Bongmol, Ch. Tengnoupal, Chanjang, Gangpijang, J. Munnom, Motha, H. Munnom, Haolenphai, Leijangphai, and Lhangcham have been affected, with parts of the same settlement now falling under different national jurisdictions. The group said this has placed residents under conflicting citizenship obligations and regulatory restrictions.
The KLA-L argued that the division of traditional settlements undermines social cohesion and contravenes international norms. The statement cited Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects cultural rights, and Article 17, which protects family life from arbitrary interference.
The group called for an immediate halt to border fencing and urged authorities to initiate dialogue with the Chin Kuki Mizo people. It warned that failure to do so would result in “further conflict, instability, and irreparable damage to the legitimacy of these border demarcations.”
