Guwahati: The Nagaland Indigenous Peoples Forum and Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO) expressed dismay over the central government’s ongoing plan to construct border fencing in Tengnoupal, Chandel, and Churachandpur districts in Manipur.
The organisations argue that the fence, which will cut through several villages in Tengnoupal, Chandel, and Churachandpur districts, poses a severe threat to the cultural heritage and way of life of the indigenous people.
The groups cited the government’s disregard for previous protests and opposition to the project, as well as the deployment of central forces to enforce its decision, as evidence of insensitivity to the concerns of the communities affected. They highlighted the detrimental impact the fence will have on traditional practices and interactions across the border, further eroding the cultural identity of the indigenous people.
The NIPF and ZORO also criticised the government’s decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR), formalised in 2018 as part of the BJP government’s Act East policy, calling it an appeasement policy towards a particular community. They questioned why the government would act against its own policy, particularly when the FMR had raised expectations among the people of the Northeast region.
The organisations asserted that the government’s actions violate the fundamental rights of the indigenous communities by disregarding the need for consultation with stakeholders and bypassing international conventions protecting indigenous rights. They specifically cited India’s commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), which includes the right to maintain relations across borders.
The NIPF and ZORO called for an immediate halt to the construction of the border fence and urge the Indian government to adopt a more inclusive and rights-based approach to border management.
They emphasised that prioritising national security over human rights risks further alienating and marginalizing the indigenous communities of Manipur and the Northeast region, ultimately hindering peace and development in the area.
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