Ukhrul: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) has strongly condemned the Government of India’s recent move to abrogate the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and proceed with fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, which cuts through Nagalim. In a press statement issued by the NSCN/GPRN, the group accused the Indian government of attempting to further its illegal occupation of Naga territories through these policies, describing the measures as an attempt to reinforce the artificial state boundaries imposed on Nagalim.
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The NSCN-IM labeled the actions of the Indian state as a “divide and rule” strategy, aimed at undermining the unity of the Naga people, who have historically lived across the present borders of India and Myanmar. The scrapping of the FMR and the erection of border fences, the statement argues, are being justified under the pretext of national security, combating insurgency, and preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking. However, the NSCN-IM views these actions as an attack on the Naga people’s shared identity and a violation of international law.
The NSCN-IM further expressed frustration over the continued use of oppressive tactics by the Indian state, despite the signing of the Framework Agreement in 2015. The group asserts that these actions by the Government of India undermine the Indo-Naga political dialogue and aggravate the already tense situation. In the strongest terms, the NSCN-IM condemned the government’s policy and warned that any negative consequences arising from these measures would be the responsibility of the Indian state.
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