UNC likely to announce blockade shortly
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, August 08 2025: The United Naga Council (UNC) is likely to announce an indefinite economic blockade along the National highways (in its jurisdictions) within a few days' time on the issue of the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing border fencing in "Naga ancestral homeland" .

While the likelihood of a blockade is there, a concrete decision will be taken in an "emergency presidential council meeting", the UNC has called in Senapati on August 11 (Monday) .

All the Naga "tribe hoho presidents" have been urged to attend the meeting without fail.

Notably, the UNC and a bunch of Naga CSOs including the Naga Women Union (NWU), the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Naga People's Movement for Human Rights-South (NPMHR-S) had served a 20-day ultimatum to the Government on July 22 to act on its demands against scrapping of the FMR and border fencing in Naga areas.

The joint ultimatum was addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

It was submitted through the Governor.

In the ultimatum, the Naga bodies had expressed strong resentment against abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the "imaginary IndoMyanmar border", and urged the Government to stop border fencing in Naga areas.

It had urged the Government of India to revoke the notification/order related to the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) immediately.

The Government of India must immediately stop all ongoing border fencing and demarcation works in "Naga ancestral lands", the UNC had said, demanding the Government to initiate a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with the Naga civil societies, and affected stakeholders.

While the ultimatum is set to expire on August 11, UNC leaders informed Newmai News Network this evening that no encouraging move has come forth from the Government till date, and as such, the UNC has decided to call an emergency presidential council meeting on August 11 to discuss future course of actions.

"If our demands highlighted in the ultimatum remain unaddressed by August 11, we shall be compelled to resume our protest movement and take stronger measures across all the Naga hill districts," said a UNC leader.

Notably, Naga bodies had launched strikes including picketing of Government offices and rallies across several districts.

The UNC, ANSAM and other organisations including the Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA), had on multiple occasions, submitted memoranda to the Government asking the Government to stop border fencing in Naga areas and bring back the FMR .

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