Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 8
The United Naga Council (UNC) is likely to announce an indefinite economic blockade on national highways within its jurisdiction in the next few days over the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the ongoing border fencing in what it calls “Naga ancestral homeland.”
A final decision will be taken after an “emergency presidential council meeting” in Senapati on August 11. All Naga “tribe hoho” presidents have been asked to attend the meeting without fail. The UNC had on July 22 served a 20-day ultimatum to the Centre, which expires on August 11.
UNC leaders told Newmai News Network on Thursday night that there has been no “encouraging move” from the government so far.
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 jointly served the ultimatum to the Centre on July 22 over the FMR abrogation and border fencing.
The Naga bodies have been strongly opposing the scrapping of the FMR and the construction of border fencing in “Naga homeland.”
“Should the demands remain unaddressed from the date of this ultimatum, we shall be compelled to resume our protest movement in stronger measure across all the Naga hill districts,” the organisations warned.
The joint ultimatum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was submitted through the Governor of Manipur on July 22.
“We submit this ultimatum with deep concern and anguish, expressing our strong resentment against abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the Indo-Myanmar border and the accelerated border fencing construction across the ancestral Naga homeland without due consultation with the affected indigenous communities and in violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), particularly Articles 8, 26 and 36, endorsed by India,” the memorandum stated.
The groups said they had earlier issued several press statements, staged protests and rallies, picketed government offices in “Naga areas” and submitted multiple memoranda to register opposition to the FMR abrogation and border fencing.
Among these were memoranda submitted to the Union Home Minister through the Deputy Commissioner, Senapati, on January 19, 2024 by the UNC; to the Union Home Minister through the Governor of Manipur on February 1, 2025 by ANSAM; to the Prime Minister on February 12, 2025 through the Deputy Commissioner, Chandel, by the Chandel Naga People’s Organization (CNPO), NSUC and Naga Chief Association, Chandel; and to the Governor of Manipur on February 21, 2025 by the Tangkhul Naga Zingsho Longphang following a rally in Kamjong.
A mass rally in Ukhrul on April 2, 2025, organised by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) under the aegis of the UNC, saw a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul, by several Tangkhul organisations. The UNC also submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur on May 2, 2025, while ANSAM submitted memoranda on February 26 and June 20, 2025 to various Union ministries and the Prime Minister through the Governor.
The Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) and Naga Students’ Union, Chandel (NSUC) also submitted separate memoranda on June 20, 2025, while the TNL submitted one to the Governor on July 12, 2025.
“In light of the above, and towards securing our legitimate rights over our ancestral land and our peoplehood, we 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 statement said.
The organisations also demanded that the Centre immediately stop all ongoing border fencing and demarcation works in “Naga ancestral lands” and initiate a meaningful, time-bound dialogue with Naga civil society and affected stakeholders.
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