Manipur: Zou Tribal Chiefs Oppose Construction Of Border Fencing In Churachandpur

The Zou tribal chiefs of Manipur’s Churachandpur villages have stiffly opposed the centre’s decision to proceed with the construction of border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar was withdrawn earlier this year.

According to reports, a group of men and women stood firm against a team that planned to construct border fencing at a Zou-dominated village in Manipur’s Churachandpur village along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The protesting villagers said that the construction of the border fencing will affect local border commerce, the accessibility of education and healthcare for border inhabitants, and diplomatic relations.

Speaking to Northeast Live, George Munluo, the legal adviser of the United Zou Organisations, said that the Zou tribe mainly resides along the international border of India and Myanmar.

“We belong to the same tribe and family. So, the removal of FMR will no longer give us the right to visit each other in times of crisis and happiness. It is an excruciating thing that the Union Home Minister, on the instruction of the chief minister of a state and a particular community of the same state, have instructed for the removal of FMR. This is going to create a lot of hardship for the people living in the border areas,” Munluo added.

The Free Movement Regime (FMR) allows residents on both sides of the international border with Myanmar to travel into each other’s territories without requiring a visa for distances up to 16 kilometres.

On February 8 this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the decision to terminate FMR with Myanmar, citing reasons for bolstering internal security and safeguarding the demographic integrity of northeastern states.

This announcement followed his declaration just two days earlier regarding plans to erect a barrier along the porous India-Myanmar border.