The Nagaland meeting on Friday adopted a decision urging the Union authorities to rethink its latest resolution to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and droop the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the neighbouring nation, changing into the second state after Mizoram to take such step.

India shares 1,643-kilometre border with Myanmar, working via 4 northeastern states —Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Of this, Nagaland shares a 215-km border with Myanmar. The FMR, established in 2018 as a part of the Centre’s Act East coverage, permits cross-border motion as much as 16 km and not using a visa.

The 60-member Nagaland meeting additionally resolved to attraction to the Centre to work out laws for motion of individuals throughout the boundary in session with the individuals inhabiting the border areas, and for suitably bringing within the village council authorities involved in your entire system of laws.

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The decision, moved by deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton, mentioned Naga individuals reside on both facet of the worldwide border and the Centre’s resolution to droop the FMR and fence the Indo-Myanmar boundary “will seriously disrupt the age-old historical, social, tribal, and economic ties of the Naga people living on both sides of the international border.”

“These measures will cause immense hardship and inconvenience, and also agony to the Naga people living in the Indo-Myanmar border areas due to the fact that the traditional land holding system straddles across the international border in many areas, and people have to cross the international border on a daily basis for their normal cultivation activities,” it acknowledged.

The decision was unanimously adopted by a voice vote.

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“In view of the special and unique situation mentioned above, this House, hereby, resolves to appeal to the Government of India to reconsider its decision, and to abandon the plan of suspending the FMR and fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border,” the decision added.

On February 8, Union residence minister Amit Shah introduced for “immediate suspension” of FMR between India and Myanmar to make sure the inner safety of the nation and to take care of the demographic construction of India’s northeastern states bordering Myanmar.

“It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar,” Shah had mentioned in a publish on X. “Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR.”

On February 28, the Mizoram meeting adopted a decision opposing the scrapping of FMR.

Nagaland is presently dominated by Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whereas Mizoram’s ruling Zoram People’s Movement isn’t a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).