The ongoing construction of fencing between India and Myanmar might face a rough weather in the days to come as several organisations based in Nagaland have come out to oppose the fencing on the ground that it would divide the Nagas living on either side of the border.
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), a conglomeration of several Naga tribes, have unanimously resolved to strongly oppose the ongoing construction of international border fencing along Indo-Myanmar border at Pangsha village. Earlier this week, the anti-talk faction of Naga militant outfit NSCN (K) had opposed the fencing along the International border between the two countries.
“The ENPO has decided to jointly pursue with the Government of India to take up the matter with the Myanmar Government so that the construction works of the fencing along the Pangsha village could be stopped,” said a senior ENPO leader.
He said that they have visited the village along the International border and interacted with both Indian and Myanmar Armies and requested them to stop the construction works of fencing that would divide the Naga brothers living on either side of the border.
The NSCN(K) had earlier slammed the ongoing construction of the Indo-Myanmar international border fencing and termed it as ‘against the wishes of the Nagas’. The outfit further said that the Nagas have not been consulted before starting the construction works.
MIP of the NSCN(K) said the border fencing was to accentuate the 1953 Nehru-U Nu partition of Naga country to keep Nagas divided and permanently marginalised by instituting a physical barrier.
Meanwhile, working group of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), which is working for uniting different Naga rebel factions and splinter group Naga National Council (NNC) has also called upon the Naga people to “fight tooth and nail” against the attempt by the Government of India and Myanmar to pursue border fencing along the international border.
“The proposal for constructing fence along artificial boundary between India and Myanmar was unacceptable to Nagas,” said a statement issued by convener, NNPGs working group Kitovi Zhimomi while adding that the policy to fence the border was to create further rift within the Naga family and to completely marginalize and weaken the strong historical, cultural, social, political and emotional affinity between Nagas spread across the ‘artificial boundary’.
It may be mentioned here that four North-Eastern States — Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km)—share a 1,643-km unfenced border with Myanmar. Besides forcing to live as citizens in different countries, the fencing would also affect over 20,000 people living in 43 villages of the Naga, Mizo, Manipuri and Arunachali tribes living on both sides of the Indo-Myanmar border.