IT News
Imphal, Feb 22:
The United Naga Council (UNC) has urged Manipur Governor A.K. Bhalla to halt the ongoing border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, claiming that it cuts through ancestral Naga lands. The organization has also called for the restoration of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and requested the Governor’s intervention in the tripartite talks between the Government of Manipur (GoM), Government of India (GoI), and UNC regarding the rollback of newly created districts.
A delegation from the UNC met the Governor today and submitted a memorandum outlining their concerns. The Council reportedly expressed strong opposition to the international boundary drawn in the 1950s, which, they claimed, had arbitrarily divided Naga tribes between India and Myanmar without their consent. According to them, the border fencing project was furthering this historical injustice by disrupting the centuries-old cultural, social, and economic ties shared by Naga communities on both sides of the border.
The memorandum reportedly emphasized that the tripartite talks over the creation of seven new districts in 2016 had been ongoing, with A.K. Mishra, Advisor for Northeast Affairs, overseeing the negotiations. The UNC urged the Governor to take proactive steps in ensuring a peaceful resolution, asserting their belief that Governor Bhalla’s leadership could help restore peace and stability in Manipur, which has been experiencing ethnic tensions.
The Council reportedly argued that the removal of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the construction of border fencing had severely impacted Naga communities, as many families owned ancestral lands on both sides and faced restrictions in movement. They pointed out that fencing the Indo-Myanmar Border (IBM) without considering ground realities could lead to socio-economic and environmental consequences.
Additionally, the UNC reportedly highlighted concerns about the negative impact of border fencing on wildlife, stating that it could block migratory routes and threaten biodiversity by fragmenting animal populations. They criticized policymakers for making decisions without fully understanding the situation on the ground.
The organization reportedly dismissed the government’s justification that border fencing and ending FMR would help control drug trafficking and illegal immigration, arguing that there was no evidence of such issues in Naga areas. Instead, they suggested that the government implement legal measures such as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) rather than restricting movement through fencing.
The Council was said to have clarified that their demands were not anti-India but instead aimed at ensuring that the historical and traditional boundaries of the Naga people were respected. They reportedly asserted that a fair and mutually respectful relationship between the Nagas and the Government of India would benefit both parties in the long run.
The memorandum also reportedly urged the GoI to engage in sincere dialogue to resolve the Indo-Naga political issue, referring to the Framework Agreement as a basis for achieving lasting peace in the Northeast. According to them, instead of restricting movement, the FMR should be expanded from 16 km to 40 km, as had been the case in the 1950s, to facilitate trade, education, and healthcare for border communities.
The UNC reportedly stressed that if border fencing were to proceed, it should be preceded by proper demarcation based on historical and traditional boundaries to prevent further unrest. They warned that any move to fence the border without addressing Naga concerns could escalate tensions and provoke widespread opposition.
