Back NRC but oppose fencing : MLA
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 02 2025: While expressing the support of the "public" of the hill districts to the rising call for updation of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Phungyar AC MLA Leishiyo Keishing has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah against scrapping of Free Movement Regime (FMR) and fencing along Indo-Myanmar border.

In a letter shot to the Union Home Minister today, the MLA stressed that vast portions of land belonging to indigenous people of Manipur have been lost to Myanmar, and the fencing of the border now may further alienate Nagas who were divided into two through the creation of the boundary between India and Myanmar.

The February 8, 2024 announcement made by the Union Home Minister to fence the entire Indo-Myanmar border, approximately 1,643 Km in the States of Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram threatens to completely cut off the Nagas on either side, said the MLA.

The MLA asserted that there are numerous enduring border disputes in the State of Manipur.

"Without due knowledge and consent of the people, India signed an international boundary agreement with Myanmar on March 10, 1967 thereby imposing an artificially demarcated boundary on the people of the border areas," said the MLA.

Many villages located at the border area vehemently oppose the agreement to this day--as vast portions of land belonging to indigenous people of Manipur have been lost to Myanmar, he said.

During the colonial era, the erstwhile Naga Hills was also known as "secluded areas" meaning exploration was limited to areas deemed strategically important or economically viable leaving most of the areas unexplored.

"The British maps of the Naga Hills are marred by a distinct deficiency in understanding of the local culture and tribal dynamics often lacking accurate navigation and mapping leading to misrepresentations on maps as it does not accurately reflect tribal territories or significant landmarks important to local communities," said Leishiyo.

The demarcation of boundaries thus arrived, unprecedentedly, divided the people, especially the Nagas in two different countries--India and Myanmar.

"Moreover, adding to the plight of the people, scrapping of FMR and fencing of borders will lead to further alienation of the people thereby completely cutting off historical, cultural, social and economic ties.

These are in stark contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948 and the rights enshrined for the same people living across artificial borders," said the MLA .

On the call for implementation of NRC, the MLA noted that it would safeguard and promote the welfare and interest of indigenous people of Manipur.

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