News Brief
Manipur: CM Calls For Immediate Fencing Of Myanmar Border, Says Recent Ethnic Violence Result Of This Historical Neglect
Manipur CM N Biren Singh. (Picture via X)
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has highlighted the historical neglect of the northeastern state by previous Union governments, particularly pointing to the 390-km border with Myanmar as a critical issue.
As per reports by Livemint, Singh expressed concerns about the adverse consequences of the long-standing disregard for the India-Myanmar border, citing the ethnic violence between the Metei and Kuki-Zo tribes in May 2023 as a result of this neglect.
While acknowledging the shared cultural ties between communities on both sides of the border, Singh asserted that earlier interventions could have prevented the existing challenges.
He expressed disappointment over the lack of security at the border and emphasised the difficulties faced by existing forces in managing both counter-insurgency and border protection simultaneously.
The Chief Minister also called for change and reiterated his previous demands to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and implement border fencing with Myanmar.
Singh highlighted several instances of individuals exploiting the porous border and urged for stricter controls to safeguard the interests of indigenous Manipuri people.
He attributed the current situation to the historical negligence of the region by past governments, emphasising that attention to the North East increased only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.
Singh emphasised, "no one thinks about the indigenous people of Manipur. Only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power was attention paid to the North East... earlier governments, I don't want to mention names, they left us alone. So what is happening now is because of that. So, border fencing is a must and free movement must be cancelled."
Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh also echoed the urgency of fencing the border, considering it a "must."
While Singh has been resolute in his stance, not all regional leaders share his viewpoint.
Earlier, Mizoram's Chief Minister Lalduhoma had conveyed opposition to border fencing during discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Currently, only a fraction of Manipur's 390 km border with Myanmar has been fenced (10 km), and reports indicate an influx of around 700 illegal immigrants in July 2023, raising concerns about security issues.
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