Wont allow to fence the border with Myanmar, end FMR: Naga rebel group NSCN-IM

Guwahati: Naga insurgent group in ceasefire, NSCN-IM on Wednesday said it would not allow the Centre to fence the border with Myanmar as it would "further divide the Naga family as a nation."

In a statement, the outfit said the move to end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) agreement with Myanmar is also not acceptable. The FMR, which was introduced in the 1970s, allows the ethnic communities living along the border to visit the two countries without visa and passport. Only a travel permit issued by the border guarding agency (Assam Rifles) is required now.

"The recent move of the government of India to abolish the time honored Free Movement Regime (FMR) has come as a rude shock to the NSCN in particular and to the whole Nagas in general...the fact remains that the Nagas have never accepted the arbitrary international boundary demarcation set up by Prime Ministers of the two countries in 1953 and the Nagas living on either side of the so-called international border have remained as one family defying all the odds. As one family, Nagas need free movement from both sides," said the statement.

The NSCN-IM is engaged in talks with the Centre and has been in ceasefire since 1997.

The Naga outfit's statement comes after Home Minister Amit Shah announced in Assam on Saturday (January 20) that the border with Myanmar would be fenced on the lines of the country's border with Bangladesh. Shah said the Centres is also considering to scrap the FMR.

Shah's announcement came following growing demand by the Meities and the government in conflict-hit Manipur. The Meities claim that the open border and the FMR is being misused by militants and criminals to carry out anti-India activities.

India shares a 1,634km border with Myanmar in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. But most stretches have remained unfenced.

"Ironically, the nature of the boundary demarcation was so cruel that it run right through the house of Longwa King in Mon district. Nothing can be crueler than this while dividing the Naga family."

On the issue of illegal immigrants, Naga themselves would control any illegal immigrant in Naga soil. We will not allow any illegal immigrants in our territory, the NSCN-IM further said.

Mizoram and Nagaland government, along with several civil society organisations in the two states also opposed the Centre's move saying it would curtail rights of the communities sharing ethnic ties.