After Mizoram, NSCN-IM opposes Centre's move to fence India-Mayanmar border, scrap FMR

Kohima, Jan 24 (IANS) After the Mizoram government, the NSCN-IM has opposed the Centre's move to fence the India-Mayanmar border and scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between the two countries. 

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) on Wednesday said that they are totally against boundary fencing "in our lands that violates our rights as one family". 

"Simply put, the NSCN will not allow the proposed boundary fencing that further divides the Naga family as a nation," the Naga outfit said in a statement. 

It said that the recent move of the Centre to abolish the time-honored FMR has come as a rude shock to the NSCN, in particular, and to the whole Nagas, in general. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing the passing out parade of Assam Police commandos in Guwahati on January 20, said that the Centre has decided that India-Myanmar border would also be fenced on the lines of India-Bangladesh border, and is reconsidering the existing agreement between Myanmar and India for free movement. 

Considering the vulnerability and threats of the 1,643 km unfenced India-Myanmar border spanning Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram, the Union Government has decided to fence the entire border and to scrap the FMR, which allows citizens residing close to both sides of the border to move 16 km into each other's territory without passport or visa, he said.

The NSCN-IM said that the Nagas are indigenous people with a high level of political consciousness, cultural and social cohesion. 

Saying that as one family, Nagas need free movement from both sides, the NSCN-IM observed that ironically, the nature of the boundary demarcation was so cruel that it runs right through the house of Longwa King in Mon district. 

Nothing can be crueler than this while dividing the Naga family, it said. 

"They (governments) are also fully aware of the irrefutable historical narratives of the Naga nation that transcend the international barriers, oppressively created by the Indian and Myanmar governments without consulting the Nagas. Such manner of injustice and wrong conduct against the Nagas continues to haunt the Nagas till today." 

The statement said that the Naga political movement came into existence with the avowed stand to defend the historical and political rights of the Naga nation and put to an end the hegemony of the government of India and Myanmar in the manner that is acceptable and honourable. 

"It reminds us of the treacherous division of the Nagas by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Burmese Prime Minister U Nu in 1953. However, the fact remains that the Nagas have never accepted the arbitrary international boundary demarcation set up by these two Prime Ministers and the Nagas living on either sides of the so-called international border have remained as one family defying all the odds," the statement said.

The NSCN-IM said on the issue of illegal immigrants, the Nagas themselves would control any illegal immigrant on Naga soil. 

"We will not allow any illegal immigrants in our territory." 

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, hours after the Home Minister's announcement on January 20, said in Aizawl, that his government does not have the authority to stop the Central government from erecting border fencing along the India-Myanmar border and scrapping the FMR but would oppose both the moves. 

He said that the border with Myanmar in Mizoram was "unilaterally imposed" by the British without consulting the people and the Mizo-Zo-Chin community people living on both sides of the border do not accept the boundary. 

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, however, earlier thanked the Union Home Minister for his announcements, saying that these assurances are the biggest gifts for the people of the state.