Border fencing opposed

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 30: The Nagaland Indigenous Peoples Forum (NIPF) and Zo-Reunification Organisation (ZORO) have denounced Centre's "persistent effort to construct border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal, Chandel and Churachandpur districts".
Despite opposition and previous protests leading to a halt in construction, the Government is now aggressively pushing for the resumption of the construction, even deploying Central forces to enforce its decision. This disregard for the concerns of the communities underscores the insensitivity of the Government towards the people it affects, said a joint statement issued by the ZORO and NIPF today.
In the statement, they said that the construction of the border fence poses a severe threat to the cultural heritage and way of life of the people.
"When the fence cuts through villages, it not only divides their homelands but also imposes restrictions on traditional practices and interactions with counterparts across the border, further eroding their cultural identity," they asserted.
People across the NE region had high expectations when the Free Movement Regime was formalized in 2018 as a part of the Act East Policy by the BJP Government. So, the abrupt decision to scrap the FMR by the same BJP Government came as a shocker to all, they said.
They asserted that the BJP Government is acting against its own policy by scrapping the FMR.
"Keeping aside the National security concern of the Central Government, the whole gamut seems an appeasement policy towards a particular community," they claimed.
By scrapping the FMR, the Central Government is violating the fundamental rights of the communities living along the border, they said.
"India's commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) should compel it to uphold the rights of these marginalised communities, including the right to maintain relations across borders under Article 36 of UNDRIP," they said.
To achieve a sustainable and just solution, the Indian Government must strike a balance between National security imperatives and respect for human rights. Border management in Manipur and the North East region should not come at the cost of disenfranchising "indigenous communities", as it will only exacerbate tensions and hinder peace and development in the region, they said.
The construction of the border fence must cease immediately. "By prioritising National security over human rights, the Government risks further alienating and marginalising the very people it is meant to protect," said the organisations.