Untangling the Imbroglio Surrounding Border Fencing and FMR: Why do the Meiteis supported border fencing and scraping of FMR all of a sudden?

The Meitei community has been strongly against border fencing during the last decade, from 2013 to early 2023. But in the last few months, the same community has suddenly changed its position in favour of fencing the border and scrapping of Free Movement Regime (FMR) when the Nagas, Mizos, Kukis, and even the NSCN-IM, are opposed to it. The question is why this change of position all of a sudden?

BACKGROUND

The Indo-Myanmar borderland is inhabited by various tribal communities including the Nagas, Mizos, and Kukis, among others. These trans-border communities have been living in this part of the world for centuries. Though they were later divided by artificial boundaries drawn passing through their hills, they continue to have socio-cultural ties without much problem even after India’s independence.

Knowing this reality, the Government of India (GOI) formally introduced the Free Movement Regime, or the FMR, for these tribal groups. However, the recent decision of the GOI to withdraw the FMR has invited strong opposition from some Northeastern states, notably Mizoram and Nagaland. 

In Manipur, the tribal communities, Kukis and Nagas, are opposed to it but the state government as well as the dominant Meitei community has been vocal in supporting the decision. In fact, they are now advocating even border fencing which they have been opposing for years.

MEITEI’S OPPOSITION TO BORDER FENCING 

The Meitei community has been strongly against border fencing especially in the last one decade, i.e., from 2013-2023. The movement against border fencing was spearheaded mainly by a prominent Meitei civil society organisation called the United Committee Manipur (UCM).

The UCM often visited the border pillars along the Indo-Myanmar borderline from time to time as part of their campaign. On August 10, 2013, the UCM visited border areas near Moreh in which they found that at least 16 tribal villages of Manipur were left to be on the Myanmar side. On the next day, the UCM held a press conference in which Y. Nabachandra, the then president, said: “The fence has divided many villages, with houses left out on the other side.” This was followed by a series of agitations. Even political parties, other than the ruling Congress, had protested against it. A team of the CPI also visited the border areas to ascertain the ground reality. 

The last time a team of the UCM visited the borders was on February 15-16, 2024. And till this time, the Meiteis were opposed to border fencing, and the issue of FMR did not arise.

DECODING MEITEI'S DOUBLE STANDARD

However, since the outbreak of the ongoing state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom on May 3, 2023, the erstwhile influential UCM disappeared. There was neither a press conference nor visit to border areas as they did in the past. 

On the other hand, various Meitei organisations including COCOMI have begun demanding border fencing, and this was gradually followed by the demand to scrapped FMR. The same was echoed by the Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, on various occasions. For instance, in an interaction with reporters in early January 2024, Biren Singh blamed the previous government for neglecting the northeastern region, and called for scrapping of the FMR. This was reiterated by the Union Minister of state, RK Ranjan Singh, a Meitei himself, saying fencing the border was a "must".

CONCLUDING REMARK

The question now is, why did the Meiteis suddenly change their position—from opposing to demanding border fencing? We don’t know what exactly transpired in the minds of the intellectuals and think-tanks within the 700 sq.m. Sanaleibak but we can only surmise from the information available to us: first, it could be that their masters somewhere instructed them to do (you already know who they are!); or, the cadres of VBIGs camping in Myanmar have crossed over to the Indian side, and therefore they no longer need the FMR, or the unfenced border. 

Whatever may be the reason, the Meiteis have no stake in the Indo-Myanmar borderlands. So no wonder they are the odd one out supporting border fencing and scraping of FMR when the trans-border communities such as the Mizos, the Nagas, and the Kukis, are united in opposing them.

(Thingkho le Malcha, 26-01-2024)