Imphal, Aug 27: Leaders of three Naga organisations from Manipur on Tuesday met officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi to press for reinstatement of the old Free Movement Regime (FMR) and a halt to the ongoing border fencing along the India-Myanmar boundary.
The MHA delegation was led by A.K. Mishra, Advisor on Northeast Affairs, while the 11-member Naga team, headed by United Naga Council (UNC) president Ng. Lorho, included representatives of the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Naga Women’s Union (NWU).
A UNC spokesman said the talks remained “inconclusive.” “After returning to Imphal on Wednesday, we will deliberate on the meeting’s outcome and decide our next course of action,” he added.
The UNC had earlier served a 20-day ultimatum to the Centre and Manipur government, demanding restoration of the old FMR and stoppage of fencing along the 398-km border with Myanmar. On August 16, it also met Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla over the issue.
The groups have been opposing what they call the “unilateral abrogation” of the FMR and the border fencing works since last year.
The Centre had announced last year that the FMR—which allowed residents on both sides of the border to travel up to 16 km without a visa—would soon be scrapped. The regime was meanwhile curtailed to 10 km and restricted to nine crossing points.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, in his Independence Day address in Kohima, urged the Union government to review its decision, calling the matter “sensitive” and stressing the need for flexibility.
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