Opposition to the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing fencing of the India-Myanmar border continues to mount, with regional bodies ramping up their objections.
The United Naga Council (UNC), representing the Nagas in Manipur, has reiterated its strong opposition to the border fencing project, urging its units to take “stringent steps” to prevent the implementation of the project in Naga-inhabited areas.
In Mizoram, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), a prominent student organization, has submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling for a re-evaluation of the decision to terminate the FMR and fence the Myanmar border.
These developments come amidst ongoing briefings on the border fencing project. On January 27, Lt Gen. Raghu Srinivasan, Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and other officials provided a comprehensive update to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on the progress of the fencing work at Imphal Raj Bhavan.
The move has also sparked opposition within Nagaland. The Tenyimi Union Nagaland, in a statement on January 20, voiced its deep concerns over the newly amended guidelines for the FMR, urging the Indian government to reconsider the restrictive changes.
In December 2024, the Centre reportedly issued new guidelines, indicating that the FMR had not been entirely scrapped. Instead, stricter regulations were introduced, reducing the permissible cross-border movement range from 16 km to 10 km. The updated guidelines include the creation of specific border-crossing points, the issuance of border passes, and a seven-day validity period for the passes. Additionally, a multilayered verification process has been introduced.
Concerns regarding these changes have been echoed by several organizations, including the Konyak Union (Myanmar), which has appealed to Supongmeren S Jamir, the Member of Parliament from Nagaland, to urge the government to address their grievances. The suspension of the FMR, border fencing, and the implementation of border passes have drawn widespread concern, particularly in Konyak Naga-inhabited areas.
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Meanwhile, the BJP-led Manipur government and organizations in the Meitei-majority valley districts, which have attributed ongoing ethnic conflicts in the state to the influx of people and narcotics from Myanmar, have supported the Centre’s decisions.
The UNC, in a directive issued on January 29, stressed that the Naga population in Manipur must prevent any activities related to the border fencing. The directive, which builds upon earlier orders issued in October and November 2024, warned that anyone assisting in the fencing activities would face serious consequences. The UNC maintains that the fencing would severely disrupt the free movement of people, damaging the socio-economic, cultural, and familial ties shared by border communities.
In Mizoram, the MZP’s memorandum highlighted the deep cultural, historical, and economic connections between communities across the India-Myanmar border. The organization pointed out that many ancestral and historical sites are located in Myanmar’s Chin State, emphasizing the artificial and disruptive nature of the border.
The MZP strongly urged the Indian government to reconsider the decision, stating that it would have a detrimental impact on indigenous communities.
On February 6, 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the decision to fence the 1,643 km-long Myanmar border, with construction already underway near Moreh (Tengnoupal) and other areas. The Mizoram and Nagaland Assemblies have also passed resolutions opposing these decisions, reflecting the growing concern among local communities in the Northeast.
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