The United Naga Council, the apex body of Nagas in Manipur, has reaffirmed its opposition to the fencing of the India-Myanmar border and asked its units to “initiate stringent steps to prevent” the project in their areas.
There is opposition to the fencing project also in Mizoram. The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), a leading student organisation, has sent a memorandum to Union home minister Amit Shah seeking a rethink on the decisions to terminate the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and fence the Myanmar border.
Monday’s moves by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the MZP coincided with Lt Gen. Raghu Srinivasan, director-general of the Border Roads Organisation, and other officials calling on Manipur governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Imphal Raj Bhavan.
Bhalla was given a “comprehensive briefing on the ongoing border fencing work along the India-Myanmar border”, sources said.
Kuki-Zo and Naga bodies in Manipur are opposed to the fencing and support the FMR, which allows people living on either side of the India-Myanmar border to enter each other’s territories without a visa for up to 16km.
The BJP-led Manipur government and organisations in the Meitei-majority valley districts, which attribute the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state to influx and narco-terrorism from Myanmar, have welcomed the Centre’s decisions.
The UNC said it was “constrained to issue the directive” to the Naga population, especially those living in the area of the Chandel Naga People’s Organisation, and sought “strict compliance”.
“No activities in regards to the purported construction of Border Fencing along the imaginary artificial Indo-Mayanmar Border (IMB) will be allowed in the Naga ancestral homeland,” the directive said.
The directive said: “Esteemed Units and Sub-ordinate Bodies of the Council of the impacted areas are requested to initiate stringent steps to prevent the said activities at their respective jurisdiction in unison without fear and favour.”
The directive was a “continuation” of those issued on October 29 and November 7 last year.
Monday’s directive “forewarned” that any individual or organisation that colluded with “the implementing agents for favour, cooperation or providing assistance to the related departments will be viewed seriously and face dire consequences....”
“Further, the Naga population in the state of Manipur are called to remain steadfast to fight against such sinister design of the colonial power to alienate the Nagas from their lands by the wild move of GoI... and be prepared for any eventualities,” it said.
A UNC working committee member said the fencing would disrupt the free movement of people from either side and disrupt socio-economic, cultural and familial ties between people from the two countries.
Five districts of Manipur — Churachandpur, Chandel, Kamjong, Tengnoupaland Ukhrul — share a 398km border with Myanmar. Arunachal Pradesh (520km), Nagaland (215km) and Mizoram (510km) too share borders with Myanmar.
The MZP’s memorandum to Shah said the decisions to terminate the FMR and fence the border had “become a matter of grave concern for the Mizo cognate groups living across India and Myanmar”.
“Prior to colonisation, no such borders existed, and we lived freely, sharing cultural, economic, and familial bonds. Even today, many of our ancestral and historical sites are situated within Myanmar’s Chin State, highlighting the artificial and disruptive nature of these borders,” the MZP said.
“In light of the above, we earnestly urge you to reconsider the decision to terminate the Free Movement Regime and fence the Indo-Myanmar border. Such actions would not only infringe upon the rights of indigenous communities but also jeopardise the cultural and economic fabric of our lives.”
On February 6 last year, Shah had announced the decision to fence the 1,643km Myanmar border. Only a 10km stretch in Moreh (Tengnoupal) has been fenced and work on another 20km stretch has started, sources said.
Shah had on February 8 announced the decision to suspend the FMR agreement with Myanmar to safeguard internal security and preserve the demography of the Northeast.
The Mizoram and Nagaland Assemblies adopted resolutions on February 28 and March 1 last year, respectively, against these two decisions.
Reports suggest that the Centre will set up specific border-crossing points, issue border passes and reduce the permitted travel distance to 10km.