Kohima, Feb 3: The Konyak Union (KU) on Monday organized rallies in three different locations of Mon district, Nagaland—Longwa village, Kangzu, and Tobu town—to protest against the proposed Indo-Myanmar border fencing and the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
Carrying placards and banners, members of the Konyak Union raised slogans against the Central government’s decision, highlighting concerns that the move would disrupt the lives of indigenous Konyak Nagas, whose land and people have been historically connected across the nation.
Speaking at the rally, Konyak Union President Tingthok Konyak emphasized the historical context of the Indo-Myanmar border, stating that its demarcation was the result of arbitrary colonial decisions, beginning with the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826 and culminating in the Yangon Agreement of 1967.
“These agreements were made without the consent or knowledge of the Konyak Naga community, splitting our ancestral land and people without regard for cultural, social, and familial ties,” he said.
He further pointed out that many Konyak villages, even those within Indian territory, have agricultural lands in Myanmar. “Fencing this border will deprive our people of farming lands and disrupt livelihoods, causing unimaginable hardship,” he warned.
Echoing similar concerns, Konyak Union General Secretary Manpong K Wangyen stressed that the decision would severely impact families residing inside Myanmar, who rely on the Indian side for food, daily necessities, and economic survival.
The situation in Longwa village, where the border line runs directly through the heart of the settlement. “It is deeply inhumane to erect a fence in the middle of such a community or to impose pass permits on villagers who have lived freely across this land for generations,” Wangyen said.
The Konyak Union has urged the Indian government to revoke its decision on border fencing and restore the Free Movement Regime (FMR) provision of 2018. The union asserts that if fencing is deemed necessary, it must follow the traditional boundaries of the Konyak Naga community rather than arbitrary colonial demarcations.
“The Konyak community will not accept any forceful division of its land and people,” the union declared, vowing to continue its resistance against the move. He further added.
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