UNC urges Governor to stop border fencing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 22 2025: The United Naga Council (UNC) has urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to stop the ongoing border fencing work along Indo-Myanmar border, reinstate Free Movement Regime (FMR) and intervene into the issue of creation of new districts.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor as he visited Senapati district headquarters today, the UNC said that since time immemorial, Naga villagers living across the border had been closely sharing all ties in terms of social, economical, cultural, religious, lands etc.

These bonds predate the colonial demarcation of boundaries and are integral to Naga identity, traditions, and way of life.

As such, abrupt abrogation of FMR and construction of physical border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border has adversely impacted and disrupted the natural flow of community and familial interdependent relationship.

In many areas, there are instances of a family holding land on both sides of the border resulting in denial of access to their own ancestral lands, it said.

The collateral damages of border fences not only affect people, but can also have unintended but dire consequences for wildlife, inter- alia by curtailing migrations .

The move to scrap FMR and construct border fence on the pretext of checking drugs menace and illegal immigrants is a total misconception and politically illogical as it has no historical bearing.

Rather it would cause a huge ramification, the UNC contended.

The Nagas are not convinced that the ending FMR will serve any purpose due to the fact that there is neither a case of smuggling of arms and drugs nor influx of illegal immigrants in Naga areas on both sides.

While attempting to address the influx of illegal immigrants through the borders, State and Union Governments may find other mechanisms to curb the menace by enacting and enforcing stringent laws like National Registration Citizenship (NRC) instead of scrapping FMR and construction of wall and fencing, it said.

FMR should not be scrapped.

Rather it should be reinstated and the coverage enhanced from 16 Kms to 40 Kms as it was in the 1950s, it said.

If at all, the Indo-Myanmar border is to be fenced, proper demarcation of actual border line based on historical and traditional boundary should precede any physical construction work to avoid irreparable ramifications and unprecedented uprising of the people, the UNC said.

It also sought the Governor's intervention into the tripartite talks among the Government of Manipur, Government of India and the UNC on the issue of rolling back the creation of seven new districts on December 8, 2016 .

The UNC further expressed belief that Ajay Kumar Bhalla's administration would surely bring about peace and normalcy in the State.

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