Hokato Awomi
Activist & Assistant Professor, Dimapur
The burning issue as of now beside the Naga solution is FMR but before we talk on the cunning wolves, lets understand what is FMR and its course of development. FMR means Free Movement Regime, when the border between India and Myanmar was reviewed in 1967 and border was demarcated. The FMR was introduced in which it allow certain area of distance of free movement to inhabitants of both India and Myanmar residing in those border areas.
In 1968, government of India limited free movement up to 40 Km on either side of the border.
These were reduced to 16km in 2004. The Free Movement Regime was also re-review, and in 2016 under the NDA alliance, government through the Act East Policy a decision for the fencing the border area was taken up. The area up to 16 km was to be fenced and proposed to implement by 2017 but due to the crisis in Myanmar and outbreak of Rohingya crisis; it was defer to 2018.
In 2018, a stretch of up to 16 km were allowed to be travelled freely without the possession of Visa to either side of border and individual were also allowed to stay for a week in the neighboring country just by possessing the border pass.
In 2017, the process of fencing the border area was resumed. Earlier border fencing was also proposed under the UPA govt in 2010. As per the report of 2013-14, around 4.07 km of fencing was laid.
In 2017, when this process of fencing was brought up there was an uproar from various Naga bodies condemning the policy of fencing the border areas, primarily because of the issue of contagious Naga areas that are inhabiting by Nagas in different areas of Myanmar, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Naga Hoho, UNC condemned over the border fencing that the border demarcation are done as per 1953 which was carried out by Nehru and Burmese prime minister U NU rather than the demarcation done by the British govt in the Naga Hills, that the Nagas will accept only the boundary demarcation done by the British. ACAUT also condemned the policy of fencing and asked the state govt to safeguard the interest of the Nagas LIVING IN THE BORDER areas.
At the outcry of the Nagas bodies, Tribal Hohos, Civil organization in 2017.The construction of fencing was suspended for some time and because of the outbreak of pandemic, it was not able to execute further action but due to the recent crisis in Manipur in mid-2023 this issue resurfaced.
The reason that the problem of Influx of illegal immigrant, drugs smuggling, illegal arms trafficking as claimed by the govt of Manipur that is igniting the current conflict to further extent.
The Manipur crisis had led to the loss of more than 200 people and forced approx. 70,000 to flee.
It claimed that there was an influx of 30,000 immigrants from Myanmar into Mizoram and 1,00,000 refugees across Mizoram, Increase of about 10% of smuggling cases and other trafficking activities as claimed to have increased.
The issue of FMR resurged as Manipur crisis deepens and intensified. On September 2023, CM of Manipur, Biren Singh urged the centre to fence the FMR area permanently. On 3 February, CM Biren Singh met HM Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed on the need of fencing the border. Sooner After the meeting, the central govt brought up the proposal to end FMR and start the process of fencing the border areas.
Subsequently on 6 February 2024. HM Amit shah gave a statement that the central govt will completely fence the FMR border areas.
As per 2022-23, report- 6.81km of fencing has already completed, out of total demarcated areas. Reportedly, a 10 km stretch in Moreh, Manipur has been fenced. Another 20 km is approved and work are said to be started soon at a total cost of 3.2 crore.
India-Myanmar border passes through different Indian states of Northeast India as Arunachal Pradesh that covers the area of 520km, Nagaland -215 km, Manipur-398KM, Mizoram-510km totaling to 1643KM.
When this news was announced, the Rising peoples Party immediately condemned this proposal and condemned the divisive policy of Biren Singh govt that he cannot dictate the policy of Northeast.
Political leader as T.R Zeliang also condemned the fencing and gave a statement that Nagaland does not need border fencing; he also condemned the fencing back in 2017.
NSCN-IM,Retd Gen Nikki, Naga tribal bodies, Naga students body of Myanmar and other condemned this divisive policy of dividing the Nagas not only by artificial boundary but also by fencing.
Why are the Nagas opposing, why are they against the fencing. The reason that Naga areas was arbitrarily and artificially divided into different territory by the British govt, to consolidate its administration and buttress its paramountcy over the Nagas and thus the territory of Nagas were divided into political control areas and uncontrolled tribal areas. The ample example of which can be seen in the house of Angh at Longwa village divided into India and Myanmar.
Naga tribes as Konyak, Khiamniungan, Yimkhiung and Nagas of Myanmar in the region of Sagaing, Chindwin River are mostly going to be affected by this border fencing.
The already demarcated boundaries had brought many complexities and now this problem is further going to aggravate and divide the Naga family into fragile broken pieces.
the actual areas of Naga homeland that stretches over an approximate area of 1,20,000 km which is just reduced to 16,527 km as Naga-land that are inhabiting only by 17 NAGA TRIBES.
As per 2017 report, approximately 43 villages, 3,000 household and 20,000 villagers comprises of Naga, Mizo, Manipuri, Arunachali tribes were living in Border areas are heavily going to be affected.
ENPO, Naga Hoho has also condemned the fencing of border, Mizoram govt and central young Mizo associations, Nag bodies in Manipur also condemning the FMR but unlike the 2017 where there was uproar against this decision in reverse is quite in Nagaland. Political leaders are not making any definite and concrete statement against these proposal either due to a partnership in alliance or do not want to go against it political supremo on the other hand the revolutionary factions are quite silent too on the fencing primarily the onus and cons are highly going to be inflicted on its foes.
However, regardless of political or strategic policy or agenda different leaders must be following, Nagas as a whole must realize this fencing will going to make the Nagas divide permanently that will become difficult to reconcile for eternity. The Naga cunning wolves’ leaders must not remain a silent spectator but must muster its strength as the wolves to atleast protect its people from the enemy.
The dividing line that was invisible yet had caused so much division is now going to be visible and permanently placed the Naga family by this fence imprisoning into different cell. What are the other alternatives that are arrange for the poor people residing in the border areas?
The negative impact that are going to cause to the common people, lifestyle, livelihood...etc. has the grievances heard and settled.
The Manipur crisis should not be an excuse for the incompetent govt of Manipur to bury the cause of the Nagas just like that and central govt is in pursuit of mending the wounds of the Nagas without actually healing the wounds. Before the wounds are stitched, it has to be cleansed and medicated well and after fully completing the necessity must stitched otherwise the wounds even stitched will get decomposed from the inside and will cause an unrest in the body. The Govt. of India is following the same pattern of stitching the wounds without doing the needful, without solving the problem of the Naga issue, it wants to fenced and divide the Nagas permanently and handicapped the Nagas for eternity. In either case, the Nagas are similar to that patient, who is going to suffer the consequences of the misdeeds.
The cunning Naga foxes need to think about this policy of Divide and rule and stand for the people they represent.
