KOHIMA: India has intensified its efforts to secure its 1,643-kilometer-long border with Myanmar amidst growing security concerns and illegal activities in the region.
The government is pushing through an ambitious fencing project that it says will take ten years to complete, despite resistance from communities in Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will implement the project in phases, which is estimated to cost around Rs 20,000 crore for the fence and an additional Rs 11,000 crore for building over 60 border roads, said according to
According to Indian Army sources, a survey had indicated that more than 1,500 km of fencing was required along with 300 km of electric fencing to effectively handle the border and bring stability to India's northeastern region. This comes at a time when ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities continues to mar Manipur, claiming more than 250 lives since May last year.
Over 60,000 people have been displaced, and security forces have recovered less than half of the 6,000 weapons stolen during the conflict.
Compounding the problem, turmoil in Myanmar since the February 2021 military coup has brought over 31,000 refugees into India in just one year. The same border has also become a new hub for smuggling, trafficking, and infiltration by armed groups. In the last six months alone, drugs worth Rs 1,125 crore have been seized in the area.
The fencing project has faced serious opposition from communities in the border states. According to critics, the project violates the rights of indigenous groups and disrupts cross-border cultural, familial, and economic ties. Scrapping of the Free Movement Regime that allowed people to move freely within 16 kilometers of either side of the border without visas has further fueled discontent.
Kuki groups have raised objections that the moves dilute traditional and historical bonds, whereas experts have feared that the initiative may imperil livelihoods.
To this end, government officials have been working on ensuring that the fence does not sever cross-border relationships. The plans entail installing gates with biometric systems to ensure regulated civilian movement. Local communities will be consulted on the placement of these gates to preserve cultural and familial bonds.
The fencing is mainly to limit illegal activities like smuggling, human trafficking, and armed group infiltration," said a security official. "It is not to limit civilians but to improve security in general.
A 10-kilometer stretch of fencing completed in Moreh, Manipur, has demonstrated positive outcomes in reducing illegal activities and improving trade regulation. Officials believe the larger fencing initiative could similarly benefit local communities by promoting legitimate trade and curbing the adverse effects of illegal commerce.
Despite the opposition, however, the government is committed to balancing security needs with the preservation of cultural and historical ties. This project will be successful only if local communities are well involved and the measures taken to address their concerns.
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