Senapati, September 5: The Naga People’s Organisation (NPO), Senapati District Women Association (SDWA), and Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), have extended their full support to the “Trade Embargo” announced by the United Naga Council (UNC) across all Naga-inhabited areas.

The embargo, scheduled to begin from midnight of September 8, 2025, is in protest against the Indian Government’s impending unilateral abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing construction of border fencing along areas inhabited by the Naga people.

In a joint press statement issued on Thursday, the apex bodies criticized what they termed as the “continued indifferent attitude” of the Government of India towards repeated representations and democratic protests by the UNC.

“The UNC has repeatedly made its sentiment and position loud and clear to the Government of India through official memoranda, a series of agitations, demonstrations, public rallies, and numerous press statements since January 19, 2024,” the statement read.

According to the NPO, SDWA, and SDSA, despite peaceful and democratic efforts, the central government has shown no willingness to reconsider its decision. The FMR, which historically allowed cross-border movement among kindred communities straddling the Indo-Myanmar border, is seen as a lifeline for many Naga tribes whose traditional territories and familial ties span both sides of the international boundary.

The proposed fencing, the statement warns, threatens to further divide the already fragmented Nagas, aggravating socio-cultural disconnection and disrupting the historical continuum of the Naga people.

The apex bodies also issued a strong directive to the public to strictly observe and implement the trade embargo in their respective jurisdictions. The enforcement of the agitation will be carried out rigorously, with no relaxation or exemptions allowed, except those specifically mentioned by the UNC.