AIZAWL, Feb 21: A civil society group in Mizoram on Wednesday staged a peaceful demonstration here to protest the Centre’s proposal to fence the India-Myanmar border and end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the neighbouring country.
The event, organised by the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC) in front of Vanapa Hall in the heart of Aizawl, was attended by lone Mizoram Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena and a host of legislators from the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and opposition parties, who stepped out of the assembly during the recess of the ongoing budget session.
Nay Lin Aung, an exiled MP from Myanmar’s Mindat and other leaders from the neighbouring country, who took refuge in the northeastern state, were also seen among the protesters.
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NGOCC is a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations and student bodies headed by the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA).
Addressing the rally, NGOCC chairman and CYMA president Lalhmachhuana said Mizo people are strongly opposed to the move to construct a fence along the India-Myanmar border, especially along the Mizoram section, and scrap the FMR, which enables ethnic kin on either side of the border to travel 16 km into each other’s territory without a visa.
“The proposed border fencing alone will not solve the problems of arms smuggling, drug trafficking and infiltration… the India-Bangladesh border is an example of that,” Lalhmachhuana said, while urging the Centre to find an alternative solution.
He alleged that the idea to fence the India-Myanmar border and scrap the FMR stemmed out of an appeal by Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, who, he said, linked the ongoing ethnic strife in his state to “illegal immigration” from neighbouring Myanmar.
“Should the Centre fulfill the aspiration of one person or respond to the cries of a larger section (of people)? Going by the aspiration of a single man is against the democratic principle of the country,” the NGOCC chairman stated.
Lalhmachhuana said they have no issue if the Manipur government agrees to the fencing of its state’s section of the India-Myanmar border.
“But scrapping the FMR and fencing the Mizoram section is not acceptable as it is against the principle of India’s Act East policy,” he claimed.
Earlier, the NGOCC had sent a memorandum to Union home minister Amit Shah urging him to reconsider the decision to scrap the FMR and fence the India-Myanmar border.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma had earlier stated that his government strongly opposed the proposed fencing of the border and was in favour of retaining the FMR.
He had met Shah on two occasions in January and February and told him about Mizoram’s stand on border fencing and lifting of the FMR.
He had said that he urged Shah to not fence the Mizoram section even if the Manipur side is fenced.
Lalduhoma had expressed optimism that the Centre may not fence the 510-km-long Mizoram section of the India-Myanmar border.
Four Indian states — Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh — share a 1,643-km-long international border with Myanmar.
The Mizos share ethnic ties with the Chins of Myanmar. (PTI)
