No division: Nagas continue protests against Indo-Myanmar border fencing

Kohima: Thousands of Indigenous people from across Nagaland took to the streets of the state capital on Wednesday, voicing strong opposition to India’s move to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR).

The protestors, many in their respective traditional attire, called upon the Indian government to honour international commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The peaceful protest was organised by the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and all Naga tribal units in Kohima.

Central to their appeal is Article 36 of UNDRIP, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, which states, “Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across borders.”

The article also adds that “States, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous peoples, shall take effective measures to facilitate the exercise and ensure the implementation of this right.”

Angami Public Organisation (APO) President Thejao Vihienuo voiced strong opposition to the central government’s policies regarding the Indo-Myanmar border, stating that they infringe upon the rights of the indigenous Naga people.

Vihienuo said that the Nagas had lived and thrived in the Indo-Myanmar borderlands long before the formation of modern India, and therefore, the imposition of restrictive measures such as border fencing and the scrapping of the FMR was unjustified. He argued that the arbitrary border demarcation carried out during the British colonial era had divided the Naga people into two nations without consultation.

He noted that the FMR, which once permitted cross-border movement up to 40 kilometres, was progressively reduced—to 16 kilometres in 2004 and then to 10 kilometres in 2016—before being completely abolished in February 2024. He expressed fear that plans to fence the 215-kilometre stretch along the Nagaland-Myanmar border, with only nine entry points manned by armed personnel, would further isolate and fragment Naga communities.

According to Vihienuo, the daily lives of border residents would be severely disrupted, as they would be required to obtain passes simply to access their own agricultural fields. He also criticised the reinstatement of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) requirement for foreigners visiting Nagaland, claiming that such policies would increase the burden on border communities and hinder socio-economic development, including tourism.

Calling the rally “just the beginning,” Vihienuo warned that the expression of democratic rights by Indigenous communities should not be mistaken for weakness.

Longwa & Pangsha: Where Borders Divide Homes, Not People

In the remote hills of Mon district, Longwa village stands as a living testament to a community divided by geopolitics, yet united in heritage. Khampei Konyak, a resident of Longwa, recalled that their people have lived there for centuries, long before borders were drawn.

Addressing the gathering, he said that in 1971, the Indian and Burmese (now Myanmar) armies erected international boundary pillars—154 and 155 in Longwa, and 156 and 157 in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh—bringing a stark division to this once-undivided land.

The legacy of that division remains, and the chief Angh of Longwa’s residence is a classic example. He narrated that the village’s chief Angh eats his meals in India while his bedroom lies in Myanmar. His household, like the village itself, is split between the two nations.

“With this border fencing, I can’t help but wonder—will our chief Angh now need a pass just to move from one room to another in his own house? Will he have to take permission to eat his meals in India and then return to sleep in Burma? Do we, the villagers, now have to carry a pass just to reach our own fields, scattered on both sides of this border?” he questioned.

He added that most residents are dependent on farming for livelihood and that most of the land where they cultivate lies across the border in Myanmar. In Myanmar, he said, there are 13 Naga tribes and 12 Christian church associations.

Despite India’s accusations of cross-border smuggling of arms and ammunition, he questioned how such claims can hold up when most Nagas in Myanmar struggle with basic necessities. “They are deprived of food, facilities, and support from the Myanmar government. Our people living there hardly come across the border, travelling for days, just to carry salt,” the resident pointed out.

He informed that the NPF party had recently held a protest in the area and extended support to the people. Similarly, it would not be wrong for other political parties—be it the NDPP or the BJP—to also raise their voices against the border fencing.

P. Shingya, a resident of Dan village in Noklak district, also shared the sentiment of the Naga communities living along the international border.

“Even before India and Burma had names, our ancestors lived on this land for centuries. There were no boundaries, no divisions—Nagas were free and happy people,” he said. “With the arbitrary demarcation, a large portion of our ancestral land lies on the other side of the border, with only a smaller part on the Indian side.”

He recalled that in 1971, border pillars were secretly erected at Pangsha without any prior communication with the local villagers. He said that the villagers had removed the pillars twice, but when officials returned the third time, they were warned not to remove them again.

Despite the imaginary line that cuts the two nations, he said that the families across the borders continue to live in harmony. He explained that the connection between the people on both sides runs deeper than politics. “Whenever someone falls ill, we visit each other. We share food, offer support. Now, the Nagas living across the border are crying,” he said.

Shingya alleged that during a 2016 survey, the villagers were informed that roads from both sides of the countries were to be constructed. The villagers acknowledged the initiative but as plans to fence the border began, they protested.

“In 2016, during a survey, they told us the path was for road construction from both sides, and the villagers cooperated and opened the way. But now, with the announcement of fencing, we feel betrayed—and that’s why we’ve started to oppose it.”

According to him, approximately 6,500 hectares of land would be fenced on the other side of the border which could significantly impact the agriculture and livestock practices of the communities living in India.

A Common Voice

Legal expert and public figure Timikha Koza raised serious concerns over the legal and constitutional implications of India’s recent border policy decisions, stating that they threaten the fundamental rights of the Indigenous Naga people.

Koza asserted that the Nagas are the original inhabitants of the Indo-Myanmar border, where they have governed themselves for generations through traditional and customary laws, long before the emergence of modern nation-states. He described the FMR as more than just a policy, saying it was deeply connected to colonial and post-colonial injustices faced by borderland communities.

He warned that fencing the international border would effectively criminalise the daily lives of Nagas who have long lived and moved freely within their ancestral territories. Highlighting that a significant portion of Naga land lies across the border in Myanmar, Koza questioned how people could be expected to seek permission to access what has always been their own land.

After the protest, 19 tribal leaders from various Naga communities in Kohima submitted a joint representation to the Union Home Minister through the Nagaland Governor, strongly opposing the Indian government’s recent decisions regarding the Indo-Myanmar border.

The leaders demanded an immediate halt to the proposed border fencing; revocation of the ‘border pass’ system; restoration of FMR in its original form; and withdrawal of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) system in Nagaland.

They also cited Article 36 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (to which India is a signatory), requesting the central government to respect the Indigenous rights in the context of borders.

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