Nagaland CM to Lead Delegation on Free Movement Regime Issue

KOHIMA: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has stated that an all-party delegation will sit down with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to raise issues of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with neighboring Myanmar.

The move comes as the Naga people increasingly expressed displeasure over the central government's decision to cancel the FMR, which has traditionally allowed cross-border movement for people living along the India-Myanmar border.

Speaking to the state assembly on the fourth day of the current session, Rio made it clear that it was vital to express the state's view on the issue to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). He informed the House that the delegation would officially convey the resentment of the Naga people over the cancellation of the FMR.

The Free Movement Regime, which was launched in 2018 under India's Act East policy, enables residents of the border areas to travel freely up to 16 kilometers into the other country without a visa. But in January of the previous year, the union government said it plans to do away with the FMR.

Cross-border travel will be limited to those living within 10 kilometers of the border under the new regulations, with travel allowed only through 43 designated crossing points, nine of which are in Nagaland. Border passes will be issued by Assam Rifles personnel, and state governments will have to deploy police and health officials at every entry and exit point.

With concern over the potential impact of these restrictions, Rio emphasized that Naga communities on either side of the border have long-standing historical, social, cultural, tribal, and economic connections. He emphasized that a large number of families depend upon cross-border travel for farming activities, education, and medical care, which means humanitarian concerns must be central to any shift in policy.

In order to make these issues heard at the top, Rio suggested heading an all-party delegation to meet Amit Shah at the earliest. The members of the House agreed with the proposal, realizing that there was a need for urgent discussion on the matter.

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