KOHIMA, Dec 16: The NSCN-IM has criticized the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following its unilateral decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and begin constructing a fence along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) issued a strongly worded statement, calling the move a “divisive provocation” and equating it to “committing sacrilege against the Naga people.” The group emphasized that land and people are sacred gifts from God, and such actions by the Government of India violate the spirit of the Framework Agreement and disrupt the historical Naga freedom movement.

The NSCN-IM further accused the Indian government of willfully undermining the sentiments of the Naga people, asserting that the Nagas’ land is inalienable and must not be distorted or divided. The group reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of “one people, one nation” and vowed to resist any attempts to alter this stance.

As a response to the border fencing issue, Naga Army Longvibu, the chief of the Naga Army, visited Choro village in Kamjong district on October 11, 2024. The NSCN-IM stated that the visit was aimed at showing solidarity with the affected communities, with Longvibu stressing the importance of securing border areas from “external disruption through illegal and divisive fencing.” He also emphasized the need for a collective approach to counter the “Divide and Rule” policy he accused the Indian government of implementing.

The NSCN-IM called for unity among the border villages, asserting that “Nagas will never allow arbitrary decisions to divide the Naga nation.” In addition, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), a group formed in 1945 to protect the rights of the Naga people, conducted a “Reconnaissance Mission to Chandel and Ukhrul” under the banner “Breaking Barriers & Shadow Lines.” In coordination with local student organizations, NSF voiced strong opposition to the MHA’s decision, arguing that the border fencing violates the sanctity of the “artificial international border” inhabited by the Nagas.

Student organizations such as the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Southern Tangkhul Students’ Union (Aze Katamnao Long), and Eastern Tangkhul Students’ Union (Zingsho Katamnao Long) also participated in the opposition movement. These groups condemned the “faulty international boundary” drawn without consulting the rightful landowners and called for the boundary to be corrected.

Adding to the widespread outrage, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights Secretary General Neingolu Krome remarked, “There is no Indo-Myanmar border in Naga homeland. Our forefathers sacrificed everything for self-determination and human rights. Let us honor their legacy by continuing the fight for justice and peace.”

The NSCN-IM declared that the issue of the FMR scrapping and border fencing has reignited the “fire of patriotism” among the Nagas, asserting, “Land and people cannot be separated.” The group warned that this development marks a critical juncture in their ongoing fight for justice and historical rights, calling it “the final showdown.” In their statement, the NSCN-IM added, “The bugle has been sounded. The die has been cast.”