UNC warns of extreme steps over FMR abrogation, border fencing

Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, Jul 31: Sources from the United Naga Council (UNC) have warned that it will take "extreme" steps if the Government ignores their 20-day ultimatum, which was served on July 22, regarding the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing in 'Naga ancestral areas'.
Notably, the UNC, the Naga Women Union (NWU), the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Naga People's Movement for Human Rights-South (NPMHR-S) had jointly served the 20-day ultimatum through Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
These Naga organisations have been opposing the scrapping of the FMR and the construction of border fences in "Naga homeland".
"Should the demands remain unaddressed from the date of this ultimatum, we shall be compelled to resume our protest movement in stronger measure across all the Naga hill districts," it cautioned.
The UNC sources informed Newmai News Network this evening that the Nagas will resort to "extreme" measures if the Government fails to entertain their demand.
The joint ultimatum of these Naga organisations stated that the abrogation of the FMR and the border fencing works across the ancestral Naga homeland, allegedly carried out without due consultation with the affected indigenous communities, violates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), particularly Articles 8, 26, and 36, which have been endorsed by India.
They also noted that various measures have been taken to express their strong opposition to the abrogation of the FMR and the construction of border fencing across the Naga 'ancestral' homeland, including issuing press statements, picketing Government offices in Naga areas, holding public demonstrations and rallies in 'Naga hill districts', and submitting memoranda.
The joint ultimatum of the Naga bodies demanded the immediate revocation of the notification/order related to the abrogation of the FMR, an immediate halt to all ongoing border fencing construction and demarcation works in Naga ancestral lands, and the initiation of a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with Naga civil societies and affected stakeholders.
"Should the above demands remain unaddressed from the date of this ultimatum, we shall be compelled to resume our protest movement in stronger measure across all the Naga hill districts", the Naga organisations had cautioned.