Manipur Naga bodies delegation to meet centre on FMR and border fencing

Imphal: Members of the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Nagas in Manipur, are set to meet representatives of the central government in New Delhi on August 26 to discuss the contentious issues of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing in Naga-inhabited areas of the state.

The delegation will be led by UNC president Ng. Lorho and will include senior members of the UNC working committee, the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), and the Naga Women’s Union (NWU).

Among those joining the talks are Samson Remei (Convenor, UNC Working Committee), Vareiyo Shatsang (General Secretary, UNC), Th. Angteshang Maring (ANSAM President), and Ch. Priscilla Thiumai (NWU President).

The discussions are expected to focus on concerns raised by Naga groups over the impact of border fencing on traditional Naga territories and the implications of curtailing the FMR, which has long enabled cross-border movement and interaction between Naga communities on both sides of the India-Myanmar border.

The upcoming talks follow a meeting on August 16 between UNC representatives and Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, where the Centre assured that formal discussions would soon be held.

Earlier, on August 11, the UNC had warned that the government’s “indifferent attitude” could force it to resort to “stringent action” and threatened to announce agitation plans if grievances were not addressed within 15 days.

Manipur shares a 398-km border with Myanmar, of which fencing has been completed on a 9-km stretch near Moreh, while another 21 km is under construction alongside roadwork.

The FMR, which initially permitted free movement up to 40 km on both sides of the border, was reduced to 16 km in 2004 and remains unchanged since.