NPF and Phokhungri Area Public Organisation members at a joint public rally against the scrapping of the FMR and border fencing exercise, held at the Indo-Myanmar Trade Centre in Avakhung, Meluri district on April 29. (Photo Courtesy: NPF Press Bureau)
Kohima, April 29 (MExN): Protests against the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) by the Government of India gained further momentum in Nagaland, with the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Phokhungri Area Public Organisation (PAPO) jointly organising a public rally at the Indo-Myanmar Trade Centre in Avakhung, Meluri district.
At the rally, MLA and NPF Secretary General Achumbemo Kikon reiterated the party’s firm stance against the ongoing border fencing initiatives and the scrapping of the FMR by the Government of India.
He highlighted the suffering faced by Naga communities in border areas such as Longwa, Pangsha, and Avakhung due to the imposition of fencing works and the suspension of the FMR.
A press release from the NPF Press Bureau informed that Kikon further stressed that the Naga people have no enmity towards either India or Myanmar but wish to continue fostering peaceful and respectful relations based on shared history and indigenous rights.
He also explained how arbitrary boundary decisions by colonial and post-colonial administrations have left the Nagas divided across several states and even across the international border, without consultation or consent.
“It is time the Nagas declare—we shall no longer tolerate further division of our land and people,” he asserted.
Recalling historical precedents, Kikon referenced the firm stand taken by former Chief Ministers Hokishe Sema and TN Angami in the 1960s and 70s, as well as current Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, who raised the issue again during the North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting in Agartala on December 21, 2024.
“Naga leaders across generations have stood against the division of our people. We must continue to uphold that legacy,” he added.
The NPF Secretary General reminded the public of the historic resolution passed by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly opposing the fencing and scrapping of the FMR, and assured that the party would continue to pressure the central government to halt these divisive measures and instead engage with the Naga people in good faith.
According to the release, addressing the gathering—which included representatives from the Makury and Para Naga communities—he emphasised that the Naga people should never be treated like security threats.
He pointed out that the Pochury villages in Myanmar and Nagaland existed long before India and Burma gained independence, and termed the current exercise as undermining the historical and cultural continuity of the Naga people.
The NPF MLA also condemned the collection of biometric and fingerprint data in border villages, arguing that such measures only burden the daily lives of already marginalised communities.
He also cited the 1948 refusal of Naga villages in Burma to join the Burmese Union, and that the Nagas had declared their independence to Mahatma Gandhi on August 14, 1947, prior to India’s independence.
“The current fencing attempt is yet another effort to erase these truths. It must be opposed,” he held.
PAPO President P Paratsü termed the rally historic and highlighted that there are 34 Naga villages in Myanmar that are direct extensions of Pochury villages in Nagaland and are considered family.
In the past, people moved freely between these areas without needing passports or biometric identification, but today the people are suffering under new restrictions that “treat us like outsiders in our own land,” he rued.
Accordingly, the president reaffirmed his strong opposition to the border fencing and the scrapping of the FMR, calling these moves inhumane and against the spirit of unity among the Naga people.
“This land is ours—not given by India or Burma—but passed down from our ancestors. No artificial boundary can change that,” Paratsü declared.
As the rally concluded, both the NPF and PAPO reiterated their resolve to continue working together to protect Naga identity, land, and cultural integrity.
Earlier, Kikon expressed condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.
He underscored the NPF’s unwavering commitment to peace and dialogue, with the party’s motto, "Fide Non Armis"—"By Faith, Not By Arms", and denounced the use of violence in the name of politics or religion.
