Naga students rally against border fencing, scrapping of FMR
Source: The Sangai Express

Chandel, March 20 2025: Hundreds of Naga students staged a peaceful rally yesterday at N Satang village in Tengnoupal, protesting the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border.

Titled "People's Movement Against Scrapping of FMR and Imposed Border Fencing in Naga Homeland," the rally was organised under the aegis of All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) .

The demonstration started at Satang village and marched towards the site where land had been cleared for the border fencing construction.

Naga students rally against border fencing, scrapping of FMR

Altogether 19 Naga student organizations from across Manipur participated in the rally, demanding the reinstatement of FMR and an immediate halt to the construction of the border fencing.

The students chanted slogans like "Reinstate FMR, Respect Framework Agreement, Stop Imposed Border Fencing," saying that they have the inherent right to move freely within their own land without needing ID cards.

Th Angteshang, ANSAM president, claimed that the Indian Government is artificially dividing Nagas across borders.

Is it justified to demand ID or Aadhaar cards from individuals to prove their identity when entering their own lands ?, he questioned.

He also said that the demonstration was held as part of the people's movement against the scrapping of FMR and border fencing to send a message to the Government of India to respect the Framework Agreement signed between them and the Nagas.All 19 Naga student bodies' leaders also supported the ANSAM president's statement, urging unity among the Nagas to oppose the scrapping of the FMR and the border fencing.

They said that it's time for the Nagas to unite and take a firm stance against the Indian Govt's actions.

The Naga student leader also said that their land was given to them by God and their forefathers and as such they will protect it.

They also also demanded that the Government of India respects Article 36 of UNDRIP which states that "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 people across borders" .

"States, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous people, shall take effective measures to facilitate the exercise and ensure the implementation of this right," added the ANSAM leader.

Andria Anal, speaker of ANSAM, praised the eastern Maring community and Satang villagers for their resistance to the border fencing construction.