Newmai News Network
Senapati | January 19
The United Naga Council (UNC) has urged Union Home minister, Amit Shah to re-instate the Free Movement Regime (FMR) at Tusom-Somrah Sector along the Indo Myanmar border in Ukhrul district, Manipur, and other impacted Naga areas vis-à-vis halting the approved proposal for construction of Indo-Myanmar border fencing/wall along the borders in Naga areas.
In a memorandum submitted to the Union Home minister today through the deputy commissioner of Senapati district, the UNC said the scrapping of FMR in recent times at Tusom-Somrah sectors along the Indo-Myanmar border in Ukhrul district “(Naga ancestral domains) and other Naga districts” stretching from north of Moreh town to Nagaland state has severed social and cultural ties during this festive seasons. There have been incidents of emergency health issues, educational tour, seasonal livelihood activities, marriages, funerals, cultivation and economic activities, it added.
The UNC further said the Tangkhul Naga, Anal Naga, Moyon Naga and Lamkang Naga who are scattered in few districts of Manipur state have a “sizeable Naga population” in Myanmar's Sagaing region who share a robust ethnic ties. “However, historical border delineations influenced more by political considerations than ethnic bonding during the British colonial era resulted in the dispersion of Naga people across the international boundaries,” the Naga body stated.
The UNC then said Nagas are not convinced that ending Free Movement Regime 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”.
The memorandum also said the approved Indo Myanmar border fencing supposedly framed to be constructed in “Naga dominated areas” measuring about 80 km stretch in Tengnoupal and Chandel districts, Manipur is “an apparent violation of international environmental laws.”
The UNC alleged that the collateral damage being done to the border land communities who inhabit this border land spanning both sides of the artificial line drawn has adversely severed their close knitted social and economic ties from their relatives and thus compelling them to live in isolation of these pockets from the rest of India other than a symbiotic relation.
According to the UNC, the “lop-sided narrative” of the Government of India and the state government of Manipur for ending the FMR and the approved proposals for construction of Indo-Myanmar border fencing/wall along the border in “Naga dominated areas” has displeased many frontier communities. While attempting to address the influx of illegal immigrants through the porous borders, state and union Government many find other mechanism to curb the menace instead of scrapping FMR and construction of wall and fencing, the UNC stated.
It therefore urged the Government of India to reinstate Free Movement Regime at Tusom-Somrah sector in Ukhrul district and other impacted Naga areas vis-a-vis halting the approved proposal for construction of Indo-Myanmar border fencing/walls in the frontier of Naga areas in Manipur with immediate effect.
