KOHIMA, April 2: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) organized a public rally at Longwa village on Tuesday to oppose the proposed border fencing between India and Myanmar. Party leaders cautioned against serious consequences if the fencing project proceeds without the consent of the people.
The rally saw participation from the NPF Central Team, led by President Apong Pongener and Secretary General and MLA Achumbemo Kikon, alongside central office bearers from the youth and women’s wings, village leaders, students, and local residents.
Addressing the gathering, Kikon reaffirmed Longwa’s historical claim to the land and strongly rejected any effort to divide it through fencing. “We are living on our own land, and no one has the right to divide our home,” he asserted. “We Nagas know our rights, and it is India that is attempting to curb them. We will protect our land at all costs. This is our land, and we will never allow any force to divide it again.”
Longwa village, situated along the Indo-Myanmar border in Nagaland’s Mon district, is geopolitically unique, as part of the Angh’s (village chieftain) house lies in India while the other extends into Myanmar. Kikon questioned the logic behind dividing the Angh’s house and called the fencing proposal “absurd.”
Echoing concerns raised by village leaders and student representatives, Kikon declared that the youth would stand firm in defending their inherited land. “The youth will stand for the rights of the people of Longwa and will leave no stone unturned in protecting what their forefathers and elders have entrusted to them,” he stated, warning that any attempt to encroach on their land against their will would be met with resistance.
Kikon also criticized the Indian government’s decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR), which previously allowed cross-border movement for tribal communities. He emphasized that the NPF is committed to standing with the people during critical times. “Unlike other parties that operate from air-conditioned rooms, the NPF is a party that speaks for and acts in the interest of its people,” he said.
Denouncing the Indian government’s Act East Policy and Neighbourhood First Policy, Kikon argued that the fencing plan contradicts their objectives of regional connectivity and cooperation. “Nagas are not nomads. We live in settled villages and return to our homes. We cherish our traditions, and the Angh system of governance continues to guide us. We fought the British not to live under their control, and we will not live under anyone’s control,” he asserted.
Referencing the historical Naga struggle, Kikon recalled India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who had once described the tribal areas as “the long frontier of India, which are neither part of India nor Burma nor any foreign state.” He also recounted an incident in Kohima where Naga leaders were denied the chance to submit a memorandum to Nehru and Burmese Prime Minister U Nu, describing it as an act of humiliation that contributed to the division of Naga territories.
“The real fight starts here (Border Villages),” Kikon declared. “We must speak with one voice, and together, we will fight for our rights.”
Aligning the NPF’s stance with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who recently opposed both the border fencing and the revocation of the FMR in the state assembly, Kikon called on the people to stand firm. “It is our time to stand up for the rights our forefathers fought for, for the good of future generations,” he urged. “If we do not stand for our rights today, it will be us who suffer in the end.”
