Imphal: Sixteen Kuki village chiefs along the India–Myanmar frontier have refused to accept land compensation and announced a policy of “non-cooperation” against the ongoing border fencing project.
They have demanded that all work be suspended until the political aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people are addressed.
In a joint statement, the chiefs said they had already staged rallies and submitted memorandums to authorities opposing both the fencing and the proposed abolition of the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
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They maintained that no compensation claims or negotiations would be entertained until their demands were met and normalcy was restored in Manipur.
The protest comes in the backdrop of the Kuki organisations’ call for a separate administration, a demand vehemently opposed by the Meitei community, which has been vocal about maintaining Manipur’s territorial and administrative integrity.
Manipur shares a 398-km-long border with Myanmar, of which officials say fencing has so far covered around 10 km.
