Thousands of Naga community members participated in a rally in Manipur’s Ukhrul town on Wednesday against the “scrapping” of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border.
The massive rally was staged in the Naga-majority town a day after a similar rally was held in Longwa village in neighbouring Nagaland, opposing the scrapping of the FMR and border fencing.
The 5km rally was organised by the Tangkhul Naga Long and Tangkhul Frontal Organisations, under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas in Manipur.
The organisers also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the district administration seeking his intervention to restore the FMR and halt the border fencing as the moves will further divide the Nagas living on either side of the border, while pointing out that influx has not been an issue in the Naga-inhabited areas.
Two Naga MLAs — Leishiyo Keishing and Khasim Vashum — also participated in the rally.
Union home minister Amit Shah had on February 6, 2024, announced the decision to fence the 1643km international border with Myanmar “to facilitate better surveillance”. On February 8, Shah announced the MHA’s decision to scrap the FMR to ensure internal security and maintain the demographic structure of India’s northeastern states.
Protesters in Ukhrul were seen carrying placards and banners that said “Revoke scrapping of FMR”; “Nagas are one by blood” and “Scrapping FMR is scrapping Naga rights.”
Attracting attention was a huge banner flagging the contents of Article 36 of the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: “Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across borders.”
The second part of the Article, which was not in the banner, says: “States, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous peoples, shall take effective measures to facilitate the exercise and ensure the implementation of this right”.
AC Thotso, member secretary of the working Committee, UNC, told The Telegraph: “The border was imposed on us by the British without our consent. We share the same culture, language, dress and food. We have very close economic and social ties. Everything will be disrupted. We want no restrictions on movement and regulation. FMR and border fencing infringe on our freedom of movement,” Thotso said.
Revised rules
The Centre revised the FMR guidelines on December 24, 2024, reducing the movement of people on either side of the border to only 10km from 16km, among other changes.
The entry/exit at the border will be monitored by central border guarding force and a border pass with a validity of seven days will be issued to individuals residing within 10km of the border.
