The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, has come under heavy criticism from Naga groups following its unilateral decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and construct a fence along the Indo-Myanmar border. The NSCN-IM, in a strongly worded statement, described the move as a “divisive provocation” and equated it to “committing sacrilege against the Naga people, as land and people is a gift of God.”
The group alleged that the Centre has “wilfully violated the spirit of the Framework Agreement,” accusing it of playing with the sentiments of the Nagas, who hold their land as sacred and inalienable. “The Nagas will not allow the time-honored history of the Naga freedom movement, guided by the spirit of ‘one people, one nation,’ to be distorted again in the hands of India,” the NSCN-IM stated.
In response to the border fencing issue, Naga Army Longvibu (C-in-Chief) visited Choro village in Kamjong district on October 11, 2024. According to the NSCN-IM, the visit was aimed at showing solidarity with the affected communities. The Longvibu reportedly emphasized that “the border areas must be secured from any external disruption through illegal and divisive fencing” and called for a collective approach against what he referred to as a “Divide and Rule” policy by the Government of India.
The visit sought to awaken bordering villagers to the implications of the fencing, with the NSCN-IM declaring that “Nagas will never allow arbitrary decisions to divide the Naga nation.”
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), formed in 1945 to protect the rights of the Naga people, also rose to the occasion by conducting what it described as a “Reconnaissance Mission to Chandel and Ukhrul” under the banner ”Breaking Barriers & Shadow Lines.” The NSF, in coordination with local student organizations, expressed strong opposition to the MHA’s decision, stating that the border fencing violates the sanctity of the “artificial international border inhabited by the Nagas.”
Student groups such as the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Southern Tangkhul Students’ Union (Aze Katamnao Long), Eastern Tangkhul Students’ Union (Zingsho Katamnao Long), and others also participated.
They declared that the “faulty international boundary” drawn without consulting the rightful owners of the land must be corrected.
Adding to the collective outrage, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights Secretary General Neingolu Krome remarked, “There is no Indo-Myanmar border in Naga homeland. Our forefathers sacrificed everything for self-determination and human rights. Let us honor their legacy by continuing the fight for justice and peace.”
The NSCN-IM stated that the issue of FMR and border fencing has ignited the “fire of patriotism” adding, “Land and people cannot be separated”.
The NSCN-IM asserted that this development represents a critical juncture in their fight for justice and their historical rights. “The battle line has been drawn for the final showdown. The bugle has been sounded by NSCN. The die has been cast,” the statement added.