Tensions have resurfaced in Manipur’s hill districts as four major Naga organisations have jointly issued a 20-day ultimatum to the Government of India, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) rollback and a halt to the ongoing border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar boundary. The ultimatum was formally submitted to the Union Ministry of External Affairs through the Governor of Manipur, addressed to External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
The memorandum was jointly signed by the United Naga Council (UNC), All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Naga Women’s Union (NWU), and the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights – South (NPMHR-S). These groups have expressed deep anguish over what they term an “imposed and unilateral” decision by the Centre, accusing it of bypassing the very indigenous communities whose lives and ancestral lands are directly affected.
Describing the Centre’s actions as a violation of international norms, the memorandum cites specific provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)—notably Articles 8, 26, and 36—which India has officially endorsed. The organisations argue that the decision to scrap the FMR and begin border fencing was made without prior consultation with the affected Naga communities residing along the porous Indo-Myanmar frontier.
“These moves not only disregard traditional land boundaries but also sever historic and cultural ties that predate modern political borders,” said a spokesperson for one of the signatories.
The organisations reminded the Union Government of multiple earlier appeals, including rallies and memoranda submitted from Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel, and Kamjong districts between January and July 2025. All communications have consistently called for the Centre to respect indigenous rights and to put a stop to all demarcation activities until consensus is reached through dialogue.
The joint memorandum outlines three non-negotiable demands:
Immediate revocation of the FMR abrogation order.
Cessation of all border fencing and demarcation activities in Naga ancestral lands.
A time-bound, inclusive, and meaningful dialogue with Naga civil society organisations and stakeholders.
The organisations warned that if the Centre fails to respond within the 20-day period, intensified forms of protest will be launched across all Naga-inhabited districts of Manipur. These could include rallies, road blockades, and non-cooperation campaigns aimed at drawing national and international attention to what they describe as “a grave injustice to indigenous people.”
