New Delhi: Days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced ending the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and fencing India's open borders with Myanmar, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of several Kuki-Zhomi and Mizo organisations in Manipur appealed Indian government to revoke its decision.
Stating that the sudden declaration of the Union government to scrap FMR and construct fencing along the India-Myanmar border is "very biased", the ITLF said, "It seems that the government is working towards facilitating the interests of just one chief minister and one community of a particular state."
On Wednesday, the Naga rebel outfit, National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) openly decried Centre’s move to end free movement along the international border. In a letter to Shah, Pagin Haokip, ITLF chairman said that the decision to scrap free movement and construct fencing is seen as "very biased" and against the interest of the tribal communities of North-East India, especially those who have large populations living on either side of the international border.
“In fact, the international border line had inflicted tremendous hardships on indigenous families living on either side of the border. The problem was somewhat alleviated by the introduction of the FMR which allows people on both sides of the border to visit and enter the other side for a distance of up to 16 kilometres without travel documents and visa. But to our utter dismay, the Government of India abruptly decided to put an end to the said FMR without any consultation with interested parties,” Haokip told ETV Bharat.
He said that despite the division created by the international border, the provision of FMR had facilitated the continuance of the relationship between the families living on either side of the border. “They could attend marriages, funerals, religious conferences, visit the sick, and so forth,” he said.
A similar letter has also been handed over to Centre’s interlocutor to Manipur AK Mishra, DN Rajesh Kamble, joint director IB, North East.
The Home Ministry has decided to end the FMR following inputs that illegal infiltrators taking advantage of the FMR regime enter into Manipur to create violence. However, Haokip said that cooperation will be provided to the government agencies to stop illegal immigration.
“We promise that we shall take an active part and cooperate with the government in its efforts to curb illegal activities like drug trafficking, illegal immigration and others,” said Haokip.
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