Centre mulls ending Free Movement Regime between Manipur & Myanmar

IMPHAL: The central government is reportedly mulling to end the Free Movement Regime between Manipur in India and Myanmar.

The plans to end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between Manipur in India and Myanmar are being reportedly made by the Centre after chief minister N Biren Singh had urged the union government for the same.

Free Movement Regime (FMR) between Manipur in India and Myanmar allows people on either side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country.

A highly placed official said that against the backdrop of the prevailing crisis in Manipur and influx of Myanmar nationals into Manipur, the Centre is planning to end the FMR.

In the 3rd week of September 2023, the Manipur chief minister had sent a message to the central government to permanently shut FMR agreement in the state.

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The FMR is a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Myanmar that allows people living along the international border on either side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without visa.

Rajkumar Imo, a sitting BJP legislator from Manipur said: “It is important that FMR is cancelled for the moment and border fencing is completed at the earliest which all the legislators had demanded to the Centre.”

“This will enable more efficient border control and minimise the movement of Illegal migrants and militants coming into the border state of Manipur,” the BJP MLA said.

It may be mentioned here that around 10,000 Myanmar nationals are currently taking refuge at different shelter camps in Manipur.

India shares a 1643-km-long international border with Myanmar and Manipur alone shares around 398 km of the porous border.

Only 16 km of the Manipur-Myanmar border is fenced.