Manipur Naga body to enforce 'trade embargo' to protest against fencing of India-Myanmar border, scrapping FMR

GUWAHATI: Manipurs apex Naga organisation, United Naga Council(UNC), will enforce trade embargo in all Naga areas from Monday midnight in protest against the fencing of the India-Myanmar border and the scrapping of the free movement regime (FMR). The UNC said the Nagas had made their position loud and clear to the Centre by submitting memoranda and holding a series of agitations, demonstrations and public rallies. Yet, the indifferent attitude of the government demands a stringent agitation to register our rigid stance against the scrapping of FMR and Imposed Border Fencing construction for defending our homeland, identity and inherent rights over our land, the UNC said in a statement. Therefore, we hereby announce that a trade embargo shall be enforced in all Naga areas with effect from midnight of September 8, 2025 until further notification, the statement added. On August 26 , talks between an 11-member delegation of Manipurs three Naga organisations, including UNC, and central government officials held in New Delhi on the twin issues had failed. The Naga organisations had demanded the reinstatement of FMR and an immediate halt to the border fencing work. During the meeting, the Naga leaders insisted on correcting border demarcation before fencing. They said their traditional boundary extends up to river Chindwin in Myanmar. Nagas have a sizeable population in that country. In a memorandum submitted to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the UNC had stated that Nagas living across the border shared all ties with the Nagas on this side of the border in terms of socio-economic, cultural, religious, land matters etc. These bonds predate the colonial demarcation of boundaries and are integral to our identity, traditions, and way of life. As such, abrupt abrogation of FMR and construction of physical border fencinghave adversely impacted and disrupted the natural flow of community and familial interdependent relationship the memorandum said. The FMR was signed between India and Myanmar in 2018 as part of the Centres Act East policy, promoting cross-border movement up to 16 km without travel documents. The objectives were to encourage people-to-people contact and boost the Northeasts economy. The FMR was scrapped during the ethnic violence in Manipur.