Naga CSOs convene meeting to discuss FMR, border fencing

DIMAPUR —  Representatives from various civil society organisations (CSOs) in Dimapur gathered on Monday at Hotel Saramati for a consultative meeting to address the pressing issue of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and its potential impact on Naga communities.

The meeting, jointly convened by the Tenyimi Union Dimapur (TUD) and the Eastern Naga People Union Dimapur (ENPUD), saw participation from organisations including the South Nagas Union of Nagaland State (SNUNS) and the Nagaland Indigenous People’s Forum (NIPF), among others.

Addressing the media after the meeting that lasted almost two hours, president of TUD, Vekhosayi Nyekha, said that the attendees engaged in extensive discussions on the implications of the FMR and agreed to engage other NGOs and CSOs in further deliberations.

Their ultimate aim is to prevent the Indian government from proceeding with fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border, which they believe could fragment the Naga people, he said.

Nyekha expressed strong disapproval of recent remarks made by Imkong L Imchen, advisor for Information and Public Relations and Soil and Water Conservation, who advocated for the abolishment of the FMR.

He said it was ‘unfortunate’ for a senior Naga leader to publically make such a statement.

While acknowledging that the meeting didn’t result in concrete resolutions, Nyekha said that this was merely the first step in a series of discussions. He announced plans to convene another meeting shortly to delve deeper into the complexities of the issue, emphasising that the FMR issue affects the entire Naga community and requires a united response.

Furthermore, Nyekha stressed the need to consider the impact of the FMR on all Naga-inhabited areas, extending beyond Nagaland to include southern regions and even the Konyak community in Arunachal Pradesh. This issue extends beyond Nagaland, and in fact it is a Northeast issue, he added.

Citing the example of Mizoram, he lauded their unified public and government opposition to the abrogation of the FMR. He said that Nagaland should emulate Mizoram’s proactive stance, and added that they were also making efforts to connect with Mizoram’s people and present a united front to the Indian government.

Also read: Mizo body to stage protest against fencing Indo-Myanmar border & FMR scrapping