Mizoram NGOs Urge Centre to Reconsider Withdrawal of Free Movement Regime Along India-Myanmar Border

Aizawl, 17 Feb (Zoram News):  In a joint plea, five non-government organizations in Mizoram have appealed to the Indian government to reconsider its decision to terminate the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the 1,643 km India-Myanmar border.

The FMR agreement permitted border residents of both nations to travel up to 16 km within each other's territory without requiring a visa. Last week, Home Minister Amit Shah announced the withdrawal of FMR due to security concerns stemming from the civil unrest in Myanmar and the ethnic conflict in Manipur, one of the four northeastern states sharing a border with Myanmar – the others being Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland.

Expressing their concern, the NGO Coordination Committee, comprised of influential organizations such as the Central Young Mizo Association, Mizo Upa Pawl, Mizo Hmeichhe Insuikhawm Pawl, Mizo Zirlai Pawl, and Mizo Students’ Union, emphasized India's commitment as a signatory to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007. They questioned the decision to scrap FMR and construct a border fence instead of fostering relationships between the communities on both sides.

In a memorandum to Mr. Shah on February 13, the committee stated, "Being a signatory of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007, we believe that our country (India) would have taken measures to assert the rights of indigenous peoples who are divided by international borders, as stated in Article 36 of this declaration."

The committee highlighted the significance of FMR in preserving ethnic and cultural ties among the Zo ethnic group residing on both sides of the border. They expressed concerns that the abolition of FMR and the implementation of a border fence would adversely impact the community.

The Mizos of Mizoram, the Kuki-Zomis of Manipur, the Chins of Myanmar, and the Kuki-Chins of Bangladesh share ethnic ties, making the FMR an essential mechanism for maintaining connections between these communities.