The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has voiced strong objections to the Government of India’s (GoI) recent policy changes aimed at further strengthening its “illegal occupation” in Nagalim. The NSCN-IM condemned the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, which it claims disrupt the traditional and cultural ties among the Naga people.
The NSCN-IM asserted that amongst others, the strategy of the Indian state has been motivated to further divide the Nagas by reinforcing the “unrecognized imaginary international state boundaries imposed on Nagalim and significantly undermining Naga national struggle.”
The NSCN-IM argued that the current Indian state policy of scrapping FMR and border fencing is a colonial ‘divide and rule’ strategy to crush the Nagas under the pretext of combating insurgency, illegal immigrants and drug trafficking, thus defending that this safeguard ‘national security and integrity’.
“Such wanton action is directly attacking the brotherhood existence of the Naga people that reside in the present states of India and Myanmar. Nagas do not accept the arbitrary division of Nagalim whatsoever and such act of segregating Nagas who are existing as a family, people and nation in their own land is unacceptable and a flagrant violation of international law,” the NSCN-IM stated.
The NSCN-IM further pointed out that the Indian state’s oppressive strategy is never an answer to resolve the more than seven decades old Indo-Naga political conflict.
“Despite the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, the GoI’s deliberate act of scrapping FMR and fencing the border has hurt the Nagas beyond words. The NSCN/GPRN condemns the GoI policy in its strongest term.Nagas would do anything to stand by the God-given right as a nation. Thus, if anything untoward happens GoI shall be held responsible,” it added.