Maring Students' Union opposes border fencing
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, March 12 2025: Maring Students' Union (MSU) has expressed its strong opposition to the ongoing border fencing project along the Indo-Myanmar border, particularly in Naga ancestral lands.

In a statement, MSU said that the recent directive by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to expedite the border fencing process in Manipur and Nagaland is deeply concerning and a direct affront to the rights, identity, and integrity of the Naga people.

The union argued that the border dividing the Naga homeland is a colonial construct that does not reflect the historical, cultural, and traditional realities of the Naga people.

It noted that generations of Nagas have coexisted across this imposed boundary, maintaining familial, social, and economic ties that transcend political lines.

The hasty construction of border fencing without the free, prior, and informed consent of the indigenous Naga people is a violation of their rights and dignity, it maintained.

Asserting that the government of India cannot unilaterally impose decisions that drastically affect the lives and lands of the Naga people, MSU warned that such arbitrary actions will escalate tensions, disrupt long-standing community ties and foster resentment among those directly affected.

While reminding the government of India that the Indo-Naga peace process is ongoing and that any unilateral decision disregarding the legitimate concerns of the Naga people will be detrimental to the search for a just and lasting solution, the students' body demanded immediate suspension of the border fencing project until a comprehensive dialogue is held with all stakeholders.

MSU further warned that if the government of India fails to address legitimate concerns of the Naga people, the situation could spiral out of control.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to defending the land, identity and dignity of the Naga people and stated that it would not remain silent in the face of such injustice.

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