FOCS endorses stand to scrap FMR
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 01 2024: Stating that the hostility being shown by Chin-Kuki against the State forces at Moreh is to take full control of the border town, the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) Manipur has endorsed the popular demand to end the Free Movement Regime between India and Myanmar and deport the illegal immigrants residing in Manipur.

Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on January 20 said that the Union Government will soon fence the 1,643 km border between India and Myanmar, and will consider ending the FMR agreement with the neighbouring country.

The FMR, implemented in 2018 as part of Act East Policy, allows residents of both countries living along the border to travel up to 16 km into each other's territory without a visa.

FOCS, in a statement, said that they take the frequent attacks on State forces at Moreh by Chin-Kuki terrorists very seriously.

Claiming that the motive behind the attack on State forces is to drive out all indigenous people from the border town and make it a stronghold for illegal Chin-Kuki people, the Federation contended that the conduct of illegal Chin-Kuki people is a challenge on Indian territory and as such they must be driven out.

Deport the illegal immigrants to Myanmar, it demanded.

Apart from spreading falsehood that there won't be peace at Moreh until and unless all State forces are removed from the border town, the Kuki village volunteers of Tengnoupal have directed the shopkeepers at Moreh to not sell even water and grocery items to State forces and it is is a tell-tale sign of law and order collapsing at the border town, the Federation added.

Maintaining that deportation of illegal Chin-Kuki immigrants is a must to restore normalcy at Moreh and Manipur as a whole, FOCS urged the Government to give additional power to the State forces to enforce law and order.

It would be very wrong to use the State forces as a sacrificial lamb, the Federation asserted.

FOCS then urged the Government of India to end the FMR with Myanmar as soon as possible to save the lives and properties of the indigenous people and secure the internal security of the country.

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