GUWAHATI: The Centre’s move to fence the international border with Myanmar, has not gone down well with newly elected Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government of Mizoram.
The Centre recently initiated the tendering process for an advanced smart fencing system to be deployed across the entire India-Myanmar border.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at the passing out parade of Assam Police commandos on January 20, highlighted the necessity of securing the India-Myanmar border, drawing parallels with the border with Bangladesh.
“The Narendra Modi government has decided that the India-Myanmar border, which is open, will be protected by barbed fencing. The entire border will have barbed fencing like what we have at the India-Bangladesh border,” Shah said addressing a gathering at Sarusajai Stadium.
He further revealed that the Centre was reevaluating the free movement agreement with Myanmar, intending to discontinue this facility.
Addressing a press conference shortly after Shah’s announcement in Guwahati, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma expressed strong reservations about the move.
Lalduhoma argued that the border between Mizoram and Myanmar was “imposed” by the British, and the Mizo people residing on both sides of the border do not acknowledge its legitimacy.
While acknowledging that his government lacks the authority to prevent the Centre from erecting the border fence and scrapping the Free Movement Regime (FMR), he asserted his opposition to these actions.
“If the Centre goes ahead with its plan to fence the India-Myanmar border and scrap the FMR, we have no authority and we cannot stop it,” Lalduhoma conceded.
He reiterated that Mizos share ethnic ties with the Chin community in Myanmar, and various organisations in the state oppose the fencing and the scrapping of FMR.
The Chief Minister disclosed that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Delhi in the first week of January.
He claimed that both Modi and Shah did not oppose his appeal regarding the matter.
The Free Movement Regime, currently in place, enables individuals residing on both sides of the border to travel 16 km into each other’s territory without requiring a visa.
