Newmai News Network
Imphal |August 19
The Government of India (GoI) has sent a "missive" to the United Naga Council (UNC) today for talks on the issues of Free Movement Regime (FMR) and border fencing.
The GoI has reportedly asked the UNC to propose a convenient date to visit Delhi for the discussions, though no official date has yet been finalised.
Meanwhile, Naga leaders disclosed to the Newmai News Network tonight that they were not willing to go to Delhi for talks.
"Rather, we had pressed the Centre that the talks should be done in Naga areas. However, the Government of India representatives had expressed their difficulties to come to the Naga areas owing to various engagements and reasons. One reason is that three ministries will be involved in the talks,” informed the Naga leaders.
"So, it is likely that the UNC leaders will go to New Delhi for talks soon", a separate source added.
According to some UNC leaders, they had pressed the Governor of Manipur in the August 16 meeting in Imphal that in the event of the talks, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Defence should participate.
It can be recalled here that, on August 11, the "emergency presidential council meeting" of the United Naga Council (UNC) held in Senapati, participated by presidents of the "Naga Tribe Hohos" under the UNC, resolved to "announce the mode of agitation and modus operandi within the 15 days' time.”
The meeting was held on the issue of the abrogation of the FMR and the ongoing border fencing construction in "Naga ancestral homeland".
The United Naga Council had served a 20-day ultimatum to the government on July 22. The ultimatum period had lapsed on August 11.
It can also be mentioned here that the UNC, the Naga Women Union (NWU), the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Naga People's Movement for Human Rights-South (NPMHR-S) had served a 20-day ultimatum jointly to the central government on July 22 in connection with the the abrogation of Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing border fencing construction in "Naga ancestral homeland". The ultimatum gave 20 days' time to the central government to address the issues. These Naga organisations have been stiffly opposing the scrapping of the FMR and the border fencing construction in "Naga homeland".
The joint ultimatum of these Naga bodies addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home minister Amit Shah, External Affairs minister S. Jaishankarand and Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh was submitted through the Governor of Manipur on July 22.
The joint ultimatum of these Naga organisations said, "We submit this ultimatum with deep concern and anguish, expressing our strong resentment against abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the imaginary Indo-Myanmar border and the accelerated ongoing border fencing construction across the ancestral Naga homeland without due consultation with the affected indigenous communities and violating the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) partícularly Articles 8, 26, and 36 thereof, endorsed by India".
They had also placed on record that considerable numbers of press statements have been issued, picketing of government offices in "Naga areas" have been undertaken, public demonstration of protest and rallies were held in "Naga hill districts and memoranda submitted to register our stiff opposition to the abrogation of the FMR and construction of the border fencing across the Naga ancestral homeland". One of the references includes a memorandum submitted to the Union Home Minister, Government of India, on January 19, 2024 through the Deputy Commissioner, Senapati district by the UNC. Another reference is a memorandum submitted to the Union Home Minister of India through the Governor of Manipur on February 1, 2025 by the ANSAM. A rally at Chandel district was held and a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister of India on February 12, 2025 through the Deputy Commissioner by Chandel Naga People's Organization(CNPO), NSUC and Naga Chief Association, Chandel. A rally at Kamjong was also held and a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Manipur on February 21, 2025 by the Tangkhul Naga Zingsho Longphang.
Another notable reference is a mass rally at Ukhrul organized by the Tangkhul Naga Long(TNL) under the aegis of UNC and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India on April 2, 2025 through the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul by TNL, TNAL, TSL, TKS, TMNL, TNZL, Tangkhul Naga Ato Longphang, Tangkhul Naga Aze Longphang and Tangkhul Naga Zingtun Longphang.
A memorandum was also submitted to the Governor of Manipur on May 2, 2025 by the UNC. A memorandum was also submitted to the Governor of Manipur on February 26, 2025 by the ANSAM. Another memorandum was also submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister of India, the Home Minister of India through the Governor of Manipur on June 20, 2025 by the ANSAM
It can also be mentioned that a memorandum was also submitted to the Prime Minister of India, the Union Home Minister of India and the Governor of Manipur through the Deputy Commissioner, Senapati on June 20, 2025 by the Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA). Another memorandum was also submitted to the Prime Minister of India, the Union Home Minister of India and the Governor of Manipur through the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul on June 20, 2025 by the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong(TKS). A memorandum was also submitted to the Prime Minister of India, the Union Home Minister of India and the Governor of Manipur through the Deputy Commissioner, Chandel on June 20, 2025 by the Naga Students' Union, Chandel (NSUC). A memorandum was also submitted to the Governor on July 12, 2025 by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL).
"In light of the above, and towards securing our legitimate rights over our ancestral land and our peoplehood, we, the undersigned issue this 20-day ultimatum that the Government of India must revoke the notification/order related to the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) immediately", the joint ultimatum of the Naga bodies also said. It also said the Government of India must immediately stop all ongoing border fencing construction and demarcation works in "Naga ancestral lands". They also demanded that the Government of India must initiate a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with the Naga civil societies, and affected stakeholders.
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