The Khiamniungan Tribal Council (KTC) on behalf of the Khiamniungan Naga community-spanning villages from Lahe-Khamti (including Khiamniungan villages beyond Chindwin River), Myanmar to Noklak, India submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India on April 3, appealing for the suspension of the Indo-Myanmar Border fencing. It also petitioned for the reinstatement of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) as per the 2018 guidelines to preserve the Khiamniungan Naga unity.
The memorandum was submitted as a collective voice of the Khiamniungan people gathered at the Public Mass Rally held at International Trade Centre (ITC) Dan, Noklak District, reaffirming its unity and unwavering commitment to their ancestral rights.
“The Khiamniungan Naga, an indigenous people with a rich heritage, has long inhabited the region, our ancestral lands crossing the present India-Myanmar border. We trace our origins to ‘Khiamngan’, at Noklak. From Lahe-Khamti (including villages beyond Chindwin River) to Noklak, we are one people, united by soul, blood, ancestry, culture, and kinship beyond this frontier. We, the Khiamniungans of India and Myanmar, rooted in our shared history and ancestral heritage, do not recognise the arbitrary borders drawn in our own home. Our bonds of kinship, culture, and tradition transcend these imposed boundaries, affirming our unity as one people,” stated the KTC in the petition.
It expressed that the proposed fencing and the discontinuation of the FMR, established in the 1970s and reaffirmed in 2018, threatened the community’s cohesion. The regime had enabled movement up to 16 kilometers across the border without visas, supporting family ties and livelihoods. “Its termination and the fencing risk severing these connections and disrupting our cultural continuity,” it stated.
“We have thrived as a single community across this border for centuries. As proud “Indians” and rooted in our loyalty to India, we respectfully urge Your Honour to keep all of us Khiamniungans, from Lahe-Khamti (including Khiamniungan villages beyond Chindwin River) to Noklak, under India’s protective care, for division is a burden we cannot bear. Fencing is not a solution, but unity and loyalty of the heart is. The Khiamniungans are a resilient people, eager to contribute to India’s strength and prosperity as citizens,” shared the community.
While acknowledging the Government’s duty to ensure security along its borders, a concern it shared as loyal citizens, the KTC also viewed that the fencing may not address the root challenges, such as Illicit trade or unrest, which often stem from isolation rather than openness.
“The FMR has long fostered trust and cooperation among border people, suggesting that regulated movement could serve India’s interests more effectively than a physical divide. Moreover, unity offers a practical path forward. By reinstating the FMR, the Government could strengthen ties between communities on sides, encouraging mutual support and local vigilance. This approach would not only preserve our way of life but also enhance India’s standing as a nation that values its diverse peoples, fostering goodwill with Myanmar and reinforcing stability in the region,” it stated.
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The KTC further added, “We, ”The Khiamniungans,” are the living borders of India, standing as resolute sentinels of our nation’s eastern frontier. Our unity is a reflection of India’s enduring spirit, a vibrant thread in the fabric of a rising power. By preserving our bonds, Your Honour can elevate India’s greatness, weaving our devotion into a stronger, more united nation-a legacy of pride for every Indian heart. Under Your Honour’s esteemed leadership, India has emerged as a beacon of unity in diversity, a nation admired globally for its ability to harmonise myriad cultures within single fold. Granting this petition would further this noble legacy, showcasing to the world a Bharat that embraces even Its remotest communities, like ours, as vital threads in its rich fabric, an achievement that would resound with pride across the nation and beyond.”
Through the memorandum, the KTC appealed to the Prime Minister:
- To suspend the construction of the Indo-Myanmar border fence, acknowledging its adverse effect on border communities and their ancestral lands.
- To reinstate the 2018 Free Movement Regime, permitting movement within 16 kilometers of the border to sustain their cultural and economic life
- To consider the significance of eight border pillars marking their territory-from Pillar No. 139 at Thongsonyu to Pillar No. 146 at ITC Dan-which illustrate the arbitrary division of its people.
“The border is more than a line; it embodies our shared history. Reinstatement of the FMR would preserve our unity and promote harmony, reflecting India’s commitment to inclusivity,” expressed the KTC , earnestly requesting the reconsideration of the measures and dialogue with their community to uphold their rights and bonds
