Senapati, 23 Sep: The Naga Village Chief Federation Manipur (NVCFM) submitted a memorandum on the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border in Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur to Union Minister Amit Shah, through ADM Senapati Nimmi Azingwungshi, MCS, at her office in Senapati on Monday.
The NVCFM, which is the apex body of all Naga villages in Manipur, representing the voice of its population, stated that it is compelled to express its position and request that the ministry consider fair and just action. The NVCFM strongly opposes the suspension of the FMR in Manipur and the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar international border in Naga-inhabited areas based on the following reasons.
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The NVCFM stated that Naga villages have existed for centuries along the India-Myanmar border without detriment to either India or Myanmar. The occupation of these territories by the Naga tribes predates the Treaty of Yandaboo, signed in 1826 between the Burmese and British India. The current international boundary between Myanmar and India in Naga areas of Manipur is a creation of British colonialism, which did not consider the interests of the primary stakeholders (the Nagas). The NVCFM asserted that the Government of India (GOI) has directly infringed on the rights of Naga chiefs in performing their mandated role as custodians of village land, customs, tradition, and law and order. This infringement also amounts to the dissolution of the traditional Naga village polity, which has persisted even within the modern nation-state. The social boundaries and relations between Naga villages along the Indo-Myanmar border are inconsistent with the political boundaries drawn by the British, and this should not be ignored if a citizens-first policy is to be undertaken.
The status of the Nagas as “Indigenous Peoples” means that the infringement on their ancestral territories without their expressed consent falls under the protective purview of Articles 30 and 36 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Such actions should not come at the expense of the indigenous Naga people’s right to move freely within their ancestral lands, and they create further complications while attempting to resolve existing issues.
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The NVCFM emphasized that the Nagas, as Indigenous Peoples on both sides of the border, have lived in their native villages since time immemorial and have little history of migration, unlike the Kuki. Cross-border activities primarily involve family visits or trade relationships. The Naga community has demonstrated steadfast love for peace during the ongoing Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict by maintaining neutrality since May 3, 2023. The indiscriminate manner in which the Union Government has suspended the FMR and initiated border fencing, at the request of the state government, is perceived as motivated by the interests of one community, indicating a lack of sensitivity and impartiality. The great inconveniences and struggles faced by Naga villages in the border areas due to these revised policies are unacceptable to the Naga people, the NVCFM stated.
The NVCFM expressed concerns that the suspension of the FMR and the border fencing would further splinter the Naga people into “India-Naga” and “Myanmar-Naga.” They noted that Nagas in India have been arbitrarily divided into four administrative states—Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam. The federation reiterated their natural right to remain undivided in their ancestral land as one people, which is a basic right that a great republic like India should easily grant and protect.
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The federation reminded that the FMR was established in 2018 as part of India’s Act East policy by the Narendra Modi government to enable Nagas residing along the international border to engage in trade, improve their access to education and healthcare, and play a crucial role in strengthening diplomatic ties between India and Myanmar. However, the abrupt suspension of the FMR has negatively impacted the small gains already made. The federation further stated that border fencing has compounded the anxieties and fears of Naga villagers regarding their immediate and long-term future, as they are the traditional custodians of their people and land and cannot remain mere spectators when their people suffer.
The memorandum was signed by SA Ramnganing, president of the Naga Village Chief Federation Manipur; SN Darthot Peter, secretary of the NVCFM; Kashung Tennyson, president of the Tangkhul Naga Awunga Long Central Committee of the NVCFM; TS Rungwar Anal, president of the Naga Chiefs’ Association Chandel Central Committee of the NVCFM; Ganggonglung Khumba, chairman of the Chiefs’ Association Tamenglong Central Committee of the NVCFM; and Silas Zho, president of the Senapati District Village Chief Association Central Committee of the NVCFM. They urged the Union Home Minister for the immediate revocation of the suspension of the Free Movement Regime in Naga areas, the restoration of the traditional boundaries of the Naga villages, and the cessation of any policy that would effectively lead to the splintering of Naga territories.
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