Is the 'free movement regime' aggravating Manipur crisis?

Under the free movement regime, tribals along the Indo-Myanmar border are able to travel within 16 km inside the other country without visa. It has been found that insurgents take advantage of the FMR and keep moving between the two countries, officials said.

New Delhi: The ongoing ethnic clash in Manipur has once again put the spotlight on the free movement regime (FMR) existing between India and Myanmar. The FMR, which is the undemarcated area between the two countries, allows tribes from both the sides to travel within 16 km inside the other country.

Intelligence agencies claimed that taking advantage of the FMR, insurgents on both sides keep shuttling between the countries under the nose of the border guarding agency ~ Assam Rifles. “Report suggests that arms and ammunition are supplied on both sides through the porus border,” a senior intelligence official told this correspondent.

Under the FMR, all the hill tribes, whether they are citizens of India or Myanmar can travel within 16 km on either side of Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB). They can cross the border by producing a border pass with one-year validity issued by the competent authority and can stay up to two weeks per visit.

FMR is implemented by both governments for the people living along the IMB. This helps locals to get more culturally assimilated with trans-border villages through weddings, celebrating common festivals together and trans-border trade. For people living along the border, IMB is not a porous or an unfenced boundary but a reflection of the physical, ethnic, linguistic, cultural and fraternal linkages among the trans-border villagers.

The FMR was implemented in 2018 as part of the Central government’s Act East policy.“On many occasions it was found that the person who came with such a border pass remained untraced after entering India,” the official said.

Myanmar’s ethnic groups, such as the Kuki-Chin-or Zomi migrated and settled along the IMB bordering Assam, Manipur and Mizoram. Many insurgent groups including United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Liberation Army (PLA), The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and small groups of Kukis, Zomies have built camps in Sagaing Division in Kachin state and Chin state of Myanmar.

"They took shelter there, obtained arms, trained cadres, and, most importantly, engaged in illegal activities such as smuggling drugs and selling weapons to raise funds. This is possible because of the porous borders,” the official said.

Talking to ETV Bharat, Suhas Chakma, director of Rights and Analysis Group (RRAG), a think tank, however, said that shutting down FMR and fencing the border could not be the only solution to any sort of violence or influx. “Yes, insurgents may be moving between both the countries. However, fencing can’t be the only step to stop them,” he said. He said that despite fencing on a large area, movement of people has not been stopped along the Indo-Bangladesh border. “But after the incumbent government in Bangladesh started taking strong action against insurgents, the situation has improved now. The regime on both sides can make a difference,” said Chakma.

As far as the Indo-Myanmar border is concerned, Chakma said, “The present clash in Manipur is because of local issues. I don’t think it is because of the problem on the other side of the border (Myanmar). If the government closes the border it can’t resolve the problem. There is a need for a sincere political will to solve the crisis.” He said that the government should also bring all the Meitei insurgent groups of Manipur to the negotiation table.

Organisations like United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) representing the Meiteis have not yet come on the negotiation table with the government. On the otherhand, as many as 23 militant organisations representing Chin-Kuki-Zoh are in talks with the government.

India shares a 1,643 km long border with Myanmar which passes through the Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km). Out of 1,643 km, demarcation of 1,472 km between both the countries has been completed. As per government data, there are two undemarcated portions along Indo-Myanmar border including Lohit sub-sector of Arunachal Pradesh (136 km) and Kabaw valley in Manipur (35 km).

The construction of fencing for a border length of 10.023 km at Moreh in Manipur has been awarded to Border Road Organisation (BRO). Work is in progress and scheduled to be completed by 2023. The Centre has also decided to urgently start border fencing of the Myanmar-Manipur border, in which 10 km has already been completed and tender has been awarded for another 80 km.

Notably, this week the Manipur government, in a letter to the Assam Rifles, claimed that 718 illegal refugees from Myanmar crossed the border and reached Chandel district of the state. “The state government views the fresh illegal entry of 718 refugees very seriously and with utmost sensitivity as the same may have international ramifications more particularly in view of the ongoing law and order issues,” the letter signed by the Manipur chief secretary read.

Through the letter, which has been assessed by ETV Bharat, the Manipur government has sought a detailed report from Assam Rifles to clarify on the facts and and reasons as to why these 718 Myanmar nationals were allowed to enter into India in Chandel district without proper travel documents. The government has also advised the authority to push back those 718 illegal Myanmar nationals immediately.