Thursday, Feb 08, 2024 08:45 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, Feb 08, 2024 03:14 [IST]
NEW DELHI/AIZAWL, (IANS): Amid objection from different northeastern states, including
Mizoram and Nagaland, and many other organisations, the Centre on Tuesday
reiterated that the Indian government is committed to fence the entire 1,643
km-long India-Myanmar border.
Commenting on the development, Union Home Minister Amit
Shah said on Tuesday, "It has been decided to construct a fence along the
entire 1,643 km India-Myanmar border. To facilitate better surveillance, a
patrol track along the border will also be paved."
Shah also said the Narendra Modi government is committed
to building impenetrable borders.
“Out of the total border length, a 10 km stretch in
Moreh, Manipur, has already been fenced. Also, two pilot projects of fencing
through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution.
"They will fence a stretch of 1 km each in Arunachal
Pradesh and Manipur. Additionally, fence works covering approx 20 km in Manipur
have also been approved, the work for which will start soon," Shah said.
After the Mizoram government, the National Socialist
Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) has also opposed the Centre's move to
fence the India-Mayanmar border and scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR)
between the two countries.
The FMR allowed citizens residing close to both sides of
the border to move 16 km into each other's territory without passport or visa,
The NSCN-IM said it is totally against boundary fencing
"in our lands that violates our rights as one family".
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had said the decision
of the Centre to fence the India-Myanmar border needs thorough discussion
before implementation.
Rio said that if the fencing along the India-Myanmar
border is urgently required, “we have to work out a formula on how to solve the
issue for the people and prevent infiltration as well, because Nagaland is
bordered by Myanmar, and on both sides there are Nagas".
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, hours after the Home
Minister's first announcement in this regard on January 20, had said in Aizawl
that his government does not have the authority to stop the Centre from
erecting border fencing along the India-Myanmar border and scrapping the FMR
between the two countries, but it would oppose both the moves.
Lalduhoma had said that the border with Myanmar in
Mizoram was "unilaterally imposed" by the British without consulting
the people and the Mizo-Zo-Chin community people living on both sides of the
border do not accept the boundary.
Mizoram’s most influential civil society body, Young Mizo
Association, and more than a dozen organisations in Mizoram, Nagaland and
Manipur are vehemently opposing both the proposed fencing and the scrapping of
FMR.
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, however, had
earlier thanked the Home Minister for his announcements, saying that these
assurances are the biggest gifts for the people of the state.