Special correspondent
Ukhrul, Feb 5:
The President of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), Eno. Sword Vashum, has drawn a parallel between the Naga people’s current struggles and the biblical story of Queen Esther, who risked her life to save her people from destruction. Speaking on the issue, he highlighted that the Nagas were facing an existential crisis due to the Government of India’s decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and implement border fencing through Naga-inhabited areas.
According to Vashum, the move was not just a policy shift but a direct attack on the identity, rights, and dignity of the Nagas. He alleged that the government’s justification for the decision—curbing illegal immigration and poppy cultivation—was a diversionary tactic meant to hide governance failures. He questioned why illegal immigration had been allowed to flourish for decades under the watch of those in power, suggesting that the authorities had either deliberately ignored or actively enabled such activities.
Vashum expressed concern that the government’s sudden pushes for border fencing under the pretext of national security was a calculated attempt to further divide and weaken the Naga people. He stated that artificial borders had historically separated the Nagas, first under colonial rule and later through successive Indian governments. He further argued that the border fencing project would only deepen this separation and erode the traditional bonds between Naga communities across borders.
The TNL president called on Naga political leaders, particularly the three Tangkhul Naga MLAs, to take a firm stand against the project.
