MYNO condemns decision to scrap FRM regime
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 27 2024:
Manipur Naga Youth Organisation (MNYO) has condemned the recent decision of the Indian government to reconsider the Free Regime Movement (FRM) agreement with Myanmar and implement barbed fencing along the India-Myanmar border.
In a release, MNYO stated that the decision not only undermines the profound historical and cultural ties between the Nagas living on both sides of the border but brutally "severs a relationship that flows through our veins, akin to a familial blood connection, transcending time and generations".
The artificial boundary that arbitrarily divides Nagas between India and Myanmar has long been a challenge, but the FRM has been the lifeblood that sustains our connections and relationships, the release pointed out, while adding that the decision to scrap the FRM not only jeopardises the free movement that has become an intrinsic part of the Naga way of life hut also severs ties that are deeply ingrained in "our shared history, sacred traditions, and familial bonds that are thicker than blood".
Furthermore, the historical context of the arbitrary drawing of international boundaries in 1953 by the late first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the first Prime Minister of Burma, U Nu, adds another layer to the complexity of the issue.
The division, done without the consent of Naga villagers, led to families being separated on either side of the border, causing a direct threat to the very existence of the Nagas living in India and Burma, it contended.
The real issue at the border extends beyond the absence of fencing-it lies in the egregious inadequacy of the Indian military in effectively guarding it.
Despite the deployment of various military agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in Moreh town and its adjoining borders, the region continues to grapple with challenges such as arms and drug smuggling.
"The indifferent and callous attitude of the government towards the Naga people is not just disheartening; it is an affront to our very existence, the release maintained, while adding that the current situation strongly implies the potential complicity of the central government in the infiltration process.
The corruption among top officials further exacerbates the problem, creating an insurmountable obstacle to any meaningful progress in securing the border and safeguarding the sacred interests of the local population on both sides of the borders," the release said.
In light of these grave concerns, MNYO urged deployment of not only well-disciplined and incorruptible government and military officials but also actively engaging local agencies and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to address the security challenges with an iron will.
Furthermore, the organisation demanded the government to invest substantial resources in enhancing border infrastructure and intelligence capabilities, the
release added.