UNC, Government continue talks on border fencing ‘Keep fencing on hold if dialogue is to continue’

OSR/NNN
IMPHAL, Dec 22 : The Central Government, the Government of Manipur and the United Naga Council (UNC) held another round of tripartite talks on fencing and Free Movement Regime (FMR) today in Imphal.
The Government side was led by AK Mishra, Advisor (North East), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while a nine-member UNC team was led by its president Ng Lorho.
UNC leaders informed Newmai News Network this evening that both the parties agreed that status quo on the border fencing issue should be maintained until a solution is arrived at.
They also recognised the urgent need to explore together ways and means for a permanent solution. Both the parties have decided to hold talks again in January 2026.
During the talk, the UNC leaders raised the matter of what they called "unreasonable checking" which is akin to harassing the public by security agencies.
To this, the Government representatives assured that it would be looked into.
It can be recalled that following the failure of the talks on Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing between a UNC-led Naga organisations and the representatives of the Government on August 26 this year in Delhi, the UNC had announced to impose what it called "trade embargo in Naga areas" under its jurisdiction from the midnight of September 8, 2025.
That agitation was lifted a few days later.
The 11-member Naga team had held a talk with eight-member Government representatives at Subramanyam Bharati Marg near Navyug School, Pan-dara Park in Delhi on August 26 but it ended in a deadlock.
According to the UNC leaders, regarding the August 26 talk, they had told Govt representatives that whatever may be the case if the dialogue was to continue the ongoing construction work of border fencing should be kept on hold.
It is not only the UNC which has opposed the Government plan to fence the border, but also the Kuki-Chin-Zo organisations.
Back on December 2, the border fence was found breached at Changpol village in Chandel district and this had prompted New Delhi to send the Secretary of Border Management of the Union Home Ministry to review the security arrangements and infrastructure projects along the border on December 20. About 200 metres of the border fence was found breached.
Apart from advocating the use of drones and sensor systems on the boder, the official from the Home Ministry had stressed on the need for gathering feed-backs and enhancing border effectiveness.