Ukhrul, June 25: All government offices at Ukhrul Headquarters remain shut due to the government office picketing by the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), against the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the imposed border fencing in the Naga homeland.
“If at all the Indo-Myanmar border is to be fenced for reasons best known to the Government of India, proper demarcation of the actual borderline based on historical and traditional boundaries should precede any physical construction work to avoid irreparable ramifications and unprecedented uprisings of the people,” stated the press release from ANSAM.
Speaking with media persons at Ukhrul Headquarters, President of ANSAM, Th. Angteshang Maring stated:
“Here and again, the Nagas speak up for our rights. Ever since the Government of India adopted its sinister policy to divide the Nagas, to undermine the inherent rights of the Naga peoples, to suppress the Naga cause, the Naga people have stood up strongly opposing these policies, never accepting them—and we will never accept such kinds of impositions and policies. These impositions and policies of the Government of India amount to a colonial era, a colonial rule. The meaning of its democratic governance directly hurts the sentiments of the Naga people, directly challenges the birthright of the Naga people, and directly questions the United Nations, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, and international human rights organisations.
This unjust decision of scrapping the Free Movement Regime and the policy to further divide the Nagas in Nagalim through the imposed border fencing construction by the Government of India is totally unacceptable. It hurts the sentiment and interest of the Naga people. The Naga people have been raising their voices again and again to register our rights. However, the Government of India fails to respect our rights, the voice of the Naga people, and has even failed to create room for reconsideration.
With this, we would like to question the sincerity of our government and its democratic system, by the so-called most democratic country. We also question the lack of respect for the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 36, and the disregard for the official agreement signed between the Government of India and the Nagas.
Today, on this ongoing five-day democratic agitation of office picketing that has completely paralysed the administration and functioning of government offices in the hill districts, we have come up to show and express our strong resentment against the decision of the Government of India—against its position, especially the policy of scrapping FMR and the imposed border fencing.
This imposing of border fencing is not acceptable at all, because it infringes on the rights of the Naga people. This very border fencing is taking place along the arbitrary boundary between India and Myanmar, which does not even exist.
Our demand is to immediately revoke this order, immediately reinstate the Free Movement Regime in Naga areas, and immediately stop the imposed border fencing construction in Naga areas. In the course of this agitation, the Naga people will never tolerate any individual, government agency, or officer who fails to respect the sentiments and rights of the Naga people.
Recalling the agitation which took place on the 2nd and 3rd of June, we demand befitting action against those agencies—the Senapati police, SP, and the Addl. S.P. (Law and Order). Befitting action should be taken against them for provoking the situation and disrespecting the rights of the Naga people. The Government of India must remove and withdraw the illogical FIR lodged against Naga people’s organisations for standing up for their rights. We will stand for our rights. We will march forward without fear and without reproach. In the name of Christ and Nagalim, we will march forward.”
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In a press handout issued on Wednesday, it stated that the Nagas have been living in their God-given homeland since time immemorial as a free people, in our own way, with traditional systems and customs, much before the birth of India as a nation in 1947 and Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) in 1948, respectively. As sovereign people without any external dominance, we never desired someone else’s land, nor have we ever tried to grab or control even a piece of land belonging to others. Likewise, we don’t want anybody—any external force—having control over our land. We are the masters of our land, and we will never accept or surrender to such monstrous forces, no matter how big they are.
An Arbitrarily Imposed (Imaginary) Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) – A Historical Injustice to the Naga People:
It may be reminded that, in the 1950s, a grave historical injustice was inflicted upon the Naga people by arbitrarily dividing their homeland. The act by then Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and U Nu is indeed a painful and tyrannical act to recall. Therefore, for the Nagas, the scrapping of FMR and the border fencing construction is like rubbing salt into old wounds—a highly unacceptable act of dehumanisation.
Disruption of Peaceful Coexistence – Scrapping of FMR & Border Fencing:
The abrupt abrogation of FMR and construction of physical border fencing along the imaginary IMB has adversely impacted and disrupted the natural flow of community and familial interdependent relationships. These intrinsic, age-old ties among people straddling the border areas are at stake, and they are now facing a series of problems without any remedy. In many areas, families hold land on both sides of the border and are now being denied access to their own ancestral lands. Ironically, the fencing runs through the house of Longwa village chief, leaving the sleeping rooms on the Indian side and the kitchen on the Myanmar side.
Scrapping of FMR & Border Fencing in the Pretext of Drugs and Illegal Immigrants – An Illogical Move:
The lop-sided narrative of the Government of India and the State Government of Manipur for ending the FMR and constructing the Indo-Myanmar border fencing/wall along the imaginary borders has displeased many frontier communities. Rather, the government should first clean up the system that is harbouring and supporting the menace. ANSAM implores the leadership of GoI to end the hide-and-seek game employed by the MHA and roll back the policy of scrapping FMR and constructing border fencing.
Scrapping of FMR & Border Fencing – Contradiction to UNDRIP:
India, being a ratified nation to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), should respect—without contradiction—what guarantees the rights of peoples living across international borders. Article 36 states:
“Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other people across borders.”
Thus, scrapping of FMR and forced construction of fencing amidst the Naga homeland is a sheer contradiction of the UNDRIP, to which India is a signatory.
Way Forward – Respecting Historical and Traditional Boundaries & Logical Conclusion of Indo-Naga Political Conflict Based on the Framework Agreement:
While respecting the sentiment of the Government of India, we would like to put on record plainly that the plea of the Association is not an antithesis to the policy of India, nor an anti-India campaign. Respecting the historical and traditional boundaries of the Nagas with regard to the IMB will serve a fair dividend to both the Nagas and the GoI in the long run, as we embark on a relationship of peaceful coexistence with mutual respect.
Therefore, instead of symptomatic treatment over the chronic issues in the region, the GoI must sincerely engage at the negotiating table to resolve the protracted Indo-Naga political issue logically, based on the Framework Agreement, that would serve as a permanent solution to various problems and usher in peace in the northeastern states of India.
And, if at all the Indo-Myanmar border is to be fenced for reasons best known to the Government of India, proper demarcation of the actual borderline based on historical and traditional boundaries should precede any physical construction work to avoid irreparable ramifications and unprecedented uprisings of the people.
People’s Movement Against the Scrapping of FMR and Border Fencing:
Against the backdrop of offensive actions employed by the Government of India upon the rights and security of our land and people, this People’s Movement is launched by the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur, as the voice and conscience of the people, backed by Naga apex bodies: United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women Union (NWU), and its constituent and subordinate units, to register our sentiments and our collective stance over the issue of existential threat to the Nagas.
The office of ANSAM also seriously views and condemns the high-handed actions of officers like the Superintendent of Police and Additional Superintendent of Police of Senapati District, who have blatantly challenged and disrespected the Naga people’s movement. Such officers should be transferred from the district they are posted in for the good of all.
Further, the outrageous and unfounded lodging of FIRs against the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), Maram Students’ Union (MKS), Mao Students’ Union (MSU), Poumai Naga Students’ Union (PNTM), Thangal Students’ Union (TAJ), and Zeliangrong Students’ Union-Senapati Zone (ZSU-SZ) at Senapati Police Station must be withdrawn immediately. I urge all the Naga populace to rise up against this repressive action of the government to silence the people’s voice and criminalise the people’s conscience.
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Fair and square, the People’s Movement will continue to reverberate across the Naga homeland until the GoI respects the rights and sentiments of the Naga people and meets our rightful demands, which are: immediate stoppage of the ongoing physical border fencing construction work along the artificial Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) running amidst the Naga ancestral domains, and reinstatement of the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
Nagas are one, and we will live together as one people. In the midst of all the challenges and repressive policies of the Government of India, we shall march forward together in unison and overcome—someday—in the name of Christ, for our dearest Nagalim.
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The 120-hour government offices picketing that started on June 23 will end on June 27, 2025.
“The Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) stands in solidarity with ANSAM in fighting against the imposition of border fencing and the scrapping of FMR, as well as for the rights of the Nagas. TKS will stand and fight tooth and nail against the injustice committed to our people. We will fight until the end, and we will fight for our justice now and forever,” stated Omri Ningshen, Vice President, TKS.