Restore FMR, demands MNYO

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Sep 30: The Manipur Naga Youth Organisation has urged the Government of India to bring back the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the Indo-Myanmar border areas.
The decision of the Union Government of India to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) was very hasty and unfortunate, and it overlooked the rights, freedom and livelihood of the indigenous tribes living along the border areas on both sides, it said in a statement.
Though the decision to remove the FMR and fence the border was purportedly taken to ensure internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of the North East States, it is in reality invasion of the rights, habitat, freedom, livelihood, culture, tradition and beliefs of the indigenous tribal peoples on both sides of the border, said the MNYO.
This policy of the Government of India to allegedly curb illegal immigration, drug trafficking and activities of the insurgent groups will automatically backfire. All the major indigenous communities on either side of the border will never agree and cooperate with the Government of India's policy of abrogating the FMR which was here since the 1950s, it asserted.
The MNYO further asserted that the fencing of the border is too inhuman an act which seeks to keep people of the same community divided physically.
Some sections of the boundary line run through houses and in the middle of many villages, it said.
The construction of border fences will divide and split everything of the communities, their habitat, families, land, tradition and culture. This will be brutal and an inhuman act on the part of the Government of India, it added.
The Manipur Naga Youth Organisation further asserted that such an interference from the Government of India would add fuel to the burning flame, and it may deepen the unrest and tension prevailing in the region.
At this critical juncture, MNYO said the Government of India should instead focus on curbing the influx of "unaccounted people from the Indian mainland that really threatens the demographic structure of almost all the North Eastern States. The fencing of the 1643 Km long Indo-Myanmar border will cost thousands of crores of rupees. If these funds are instead poured in to enhance trade in border areas of Kamjong district and Tengnoupal district particularly Satang area, it will greatly help solve unemployment problem and drastically reduce insurgency, said the MNYO.
The Govt of India should invest in pro people policies and bring back the FMR, it added.