FROM the governments of Nagaland and Mizoram to the vast majority of the Naga, Chin-Mizo-Kuki-Zo kindred tribes, the Union Government’s intention to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and construct fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border has sparked widespread indignation. This proposed policy change, impacting approximately 50% of the 1,643-kilometer-long border, has led to significant resistance from various Civil Society Organizations and powerful student bodies across Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram.
So why have several prominent Chin-Mizo-Kuki-Zo and Naga Civil Society Organizations across Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram voiced their indignation? And why is the Zo Reunification Organization’s (ZoRO) “stern warning” against the border fencing and revocation of FMR by the Indian Government crucial in balancing regional politics, if not the geopolitics involving Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India?
First, let’s understand what the ZoRO said on May 16, 2024, at Zokhawthar, a border town in Mizoram state, during a public rally organized by them. The ZoRO, based in Aizawl, seeks to reunite all Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi tribes of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar under a single administration, reflecting a long-standing aspiration among the Zo people.
It is significant to note that the rally saw participation from the ruling Zoram People’s Party (ZPM) members Clement Lalmingthanga and Lalmuanpuia Punte from the Hrangturzo constituency. Hundreds of Khawmawi villagers from neighboring Myanmar and surrounding areas joined the protest rally. Similar rallies were held in Mizoram’s Lunglei district and Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, drawing thousands of Zo ethnic people.
The ZoRO, in this particular protest rally issued a “stern warning,” that the proposed border fencing and revocation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) by the Indian government would be perceived as a declaration of independence by the Zo ethnic people. Addressing the public rally, ZoRO General Secretary L. Ramdinliana Renthlei stated, “Zofate, or ethnic Mizos, are divided into three regions. While we are waiting for our hopes of reunification, the Indian Government is trying to close the border and lift the FMR. Today, the blood of our nation is crying for unity, and if the Government of India does nothing to unite us, we will respond as we can.”
Renthlei also said, “If the border is closed and the FMR is removed, then we will consider it as India’s declaration of independence for us.” While protestors waved flags and chanted slogans across the India-Myanmar Friendship Gate on May 16, underscoring the historical ties and the necessity for ongoing interaction among the Zo ethnic group, ZoRO President S. Sangkawia highlighted that the protest against border fencing and the FMR is a national issue, not just an individual concern. He urged the Center to uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples divided by international borders, as stated in Article 36 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 2007.
On similar vein, Gautam Mukhopadhaya, India’s former ambassador to Myanmar, has criticized the government’s move. In an article first published in Deccan Herald which was reproduced in Ukhrul Times where he argued, “If the lifting of the FMR is historically and politically illogical, the fencing of the border is even more questionable.” He pointed out that the reasons for resorting to border fencing, such as containing spillover conflicts or curbing illegal trade, are misconceived and will not be effectively addressed by such measures. He opined, “To contain any spillover of the anti-military conflict in Myanmar in the form of refugees or militancy; prevent a growing illegal and informal trade in drugs, gold, betel nuts and timber; tackle Valley-based, Naga and Assam-based Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) sheltered in Myanmar; or combat allegations by the Manipur state government of ‘illegal migration’ of Kuki-Zo or ‘external aggression’ by kindred militant groups on the other side of the border, many of these are misconceived, and in any case, will not be addressed by fencing.”
In contrast, the Chief Minister of Manipur has supported the Union Government’s plan, citing the need for internal security and maintaining the demographic structure of the North Eastern States. N Biren Singh informed in February 2024 that a 1 km stretch of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) was under execution in Manipur, bordering Myanmar. He added that fence works covering 20 km in vulnerable areas had also been approved, and the work will start soon.
Despite differing views, the sentiment across Nagaland, substantial parts of Manipur and Mizoram remains restive. The FMR, implemented in 2018 to facilitate cross-border movement and connect Southeast Asia as part of India’s Act East policy, now faces significant opposition. The proposed changes are perceived as efforts to geographically divide and isolate the Naga people and other ethnic groups, the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi tribes of India, highlighting a critical need for all stakeholders to come together and negotiate a peaceful and pragmatic solution. The issue is complex and cannot be resolved unilaterally, requiring a collective effort to address the concerns of the volatile Indo-Myanmar border region.
A scenario in which the Zo Reunification Organization’s “stern warning” against the border fencing and revocation of FMR translating into taking up arms will be unthinkable. It will tremendously disturb the balance of Northeast politics and miserably fail India’s ambition to cut through the forests and diverse peoples of the region to bring to fruition its Act East Policy.
This assessment has not factored in the protracted Indo-Naga peace talks, and the possible friction it will invite on the FMR issue, which will certainly further create complications in the already vexed ongoing political dialogue between the Government of India and NSCN-IM. FMR as another sticking point on the table for the Indian interlocutor and the NSCN top brass would strategically be impractical for the Indian Government given the highly potential ripple effect it may open up in the region.
No one wants to witness a repeat of the 1960s Mizo National Front (MNF) uprising – declaration of independence from India – [mind you, the language ZoRO has chosen is not very different from what MNF used] which led to the bombing of Aizawl by the Indian Air Force to subdue the MNF, marking a controversial moment in Indian history.
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