Ukhrul, November 24: Denouncing the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India’s scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, the 43-Phungyar AC Naga People’s Front (NPF) Unit staged a peaceful, democratic, and silent protest at Kamjong on Sunday.

In a press release issued by the Information and Publicity Wing of NPF 43-Phungyar Unit, all rank and file of the unit converged at the Kamjong Headquarters playground on Sunday to protest the abolition of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing in the ‘Naga ancestral territory’ without Nagas’ consent. The attendees held placards and banners denouncing the move and called upon all citizens to oppose the Government’s action.

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The NPF 43-Phungyar AC Unit stated that it stands vehemently opposed to the proposed construction of barbed wire along the Indo-Myanmar border and the scrapping of the decades-old FMR without the consent of the Nagas who would be severely affected. It cautioned that such a diabolic Berlin Wall-like partition along the ‘artificial and imaginary’ Indo-Myanmar border would cut off all cultural, economic, religious, and social ties with their brethren on the other side of the border.

Adding further, the NPF unit pointed out that the division of India and Myanmar by the then Colonial British Empire had already adversely affected the blood relationship of the Nagas and that the pain and wounds of separation were still fresh in their collective conscience. It termed the move to scrap the Free Movement Regime as unpopular and unacceptable which only rubbed salt into the lingering wounds of the Nagas.

Unequivocally decrying and deriding the Government’s move, the NPF unit urged all citizens to oppose it. Nagas along with different ethnic groups residing along the porous international border will vehemently oppose FMR abolition and border fencing, it warned. 

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