Government offices and establishments across hill districts with significant Naga population saw disruptions on Monday as the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (Ansam), launched a five-day picketing.

The 120-hour picketing was called in protest against the “imposed” fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border and the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the neighbouring country.

Some Ansam members gathered at the main gate of the mini secretariat complex in Senapati district and put up banners.

Among them were messages such as “reinstate FMR”, “nagas without borders”, and “remove the SP & additional SP of police (law and order) from Senapati district”.

Offices in Naga-majority districts like Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel wore a deserted look. Even districts with a significant Naga population, such as Kangpokpi, were affected.

This is the second time this month the Naga student body has resorted to office picketing against the Centre’s moves. The last picketing was held on June 2 for 48 hours across Naga-inhabited hill districts including Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Ansam said that it would continue the movement against the Centre’s decisions because the protest was “a united demonstration expressing our resentment of the ongoing imposed border fencing and scrapping of FMR”.

The picketing decision was adopted at the June 16 presidential council meeting.

Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland share a border with Myanmar. Fencing work is ongoing in Chandel and Tengnoupal districts of Manipur.

The Centre’s decisions have been frequently opposed by affected communities in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram since they were announced last year to check influx and smuggling from Myanmar.

The FMR earlier allowed those living on either side of the international border to venture up to 16km into each other’s territory without official documents or visas. This distance was reduced to 10km from December 24, now requiring a border pass.

The Ansam statement said the Centre and the Manipur government should be “solely” held responsible in the event of any “unwanted” situation arising during the protest.

“The association reiterates that any individual, contractor, transporter, agency, etc. engaging in the transportation, supply, storage or facilitation of any raw materials intended for the construction of border fencing in connection with the scrapping of FMR should stop immediately,” it further said.