Stop fencing in Naga areas : NVCFM

Our Correspondent
Senapati, Sep 23: Naga Village Chiefs Federation Manipur (NVCFM) has submitted a memorandum on the suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border in Naga inhabited areas of Manipur to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through ADM Senapati, Nimmi Azingwungshi at her office chamber at Senapati on Monday.  
Through their memorandum, NVCFM requested the Home Ministry to consider for a fair and just action.
NVCFM said that they strongly oppose the suspension of the FMR in Manipur and the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar international border in Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.
It said that the Naga villages have existed for centuries along the India-Myanmar border without detriment to both India and Myanmar. The occupation of these territories by the Naga tribes predates the Treaty of Yandaboo 1826, signed between Burma and British–India.
The present International boundary between Myanmar and India in Naga areas in Manipur is the creation of British colonialism, which did not consider the interests of the primary stakeholders (Nagas).
NVCFM said that the GoI directly infringed on the rights of the Naga chiefs in performing their mandated role of being custodian of the village land, customs, tradition and law and order.
The social boundaries and relations between Naga villages in the Indo-Myanmar border are not consistent with the political boundary drawn by the British, the memorandum said.
The status of the Nagas as indigenous people and the infringement on their ancestral territories without their expressed consent come within the protective purview of articles 30 and 36 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.
NVCFM stated that Nagas being indigenous peoples, East or West, across the border, having lived since time immemorial have so much attachment to land and native villages and they hardly have any history of migration like Kukis. Cross border activities are only either family visits or trade relationships.
Naga community has demonstrated steadfast love for peace in the ongoing Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict by maintaining neutrality since May 3, 2023.
The Union Government’s decision to scrap FMR and fence Indo-Myanmar border at the request of the State Government at this juncture are driven by the interests of one community. The great inconveniences and struggles of the Naga villages in the border areas due to these revised policies are unacceptable to the Naga people, NVCFM stated.
NVCFM stated that they are apprehensive that the suspension of FMR and the border fencing would lead to a further splintering of the Naga people into “India-Naga” and “Myanmar –Naga”.
It said that Nagas in India have been arbitrarily divided into four administrative States–Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The federation reiterated the natural right to remain undivided in their ancestral land as one people which is a basic right that a great republic like India can easily grant and protect.
The memorandum urged the Union Home Minister for immediate revocation of suspension of FMR (in Nagas areas), restoration of the traditional boundaries of the Naga villages and the cessation of any policy that will effectively lead to the splintering of the Naga territories.