FREE MOVEMENT REGIME (FMR)

2. About The Free Movement Regime (FMR)

• Much of present-day northeast India witnessed temporary Burmese occupation until the British expelled them in the 1800s. The Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, signed by the victors and vanquished, delineated the boundary between India and Burma, now Myanmar. Unfortunately, this division separated people of shared ethnicity and culture, including the Nagas of Nagaland and Manipur and the Kuki-Chin-Mizo communities of Manipur and Mizoram, without their consent.
• The border, established by the treaty, often cut through villages or houses, further complicating the lives of those on either side. The lack of consent in these divisions created lasting challenges for communities split by the border.
• Concerned about growing Chinese influence in Myanmar, New Delhi initiated efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with the Myanmar government a decade ago. This initiative aimed at addressing historical challenges and fostering better relations between the two nations.
• The Free Movement Regime (FMR), conceived as part of the government's Act East policy, faced a nearly year-long delay, primarily due to the Rohingya refugee crisis that began in August 2017.
• The FMR finally realized in 2018, enables individuals living on either side of the border to travel up to 16 km within each other's country without requiring a visa. Border residents, however, need a valid border pass, lasting a year, to stay in the other country for approximately two weeks per visit.
• Beyond facilitating cross-border movement, the FMR also seeks to promote localized border trade through customs stations and designated markets. Additionally, it aims to improve educational and healthcare access for the people of Myanmar on the Indian side of the border.

• The India-Myanmar border, except for a 10 km stretch in Manipur, remains unfenced, traversing hills and jungles. Security forces have long grappled with extremist groups operating from clandestine bases in the Chin and Sagaing regions of Myanmar, conducting hit-and-run operations.
• Even before the implementation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR), the ease of cross-border movement raised concerns about the inward trafficking of drugs and the outward trafficking of wildlife body parts. These challenges have persisted for decades.
• The catalyst for reevaluating the FMR was the conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023, between the majority of Meitei and the tribal Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur. Over the past decade, the Manipur government expressed apprehension about the "influx" of Myanmar nationals, particularly the Kuki-Chins, leading to calls for an Assam-like National Register of Citizens to identify and address "illegal immigrants."
• The Manipur government's concerns gained momentum after the conflict coincided with Myanmar nationals seeking refuge in Manipur to escape a civil war in their home country. In September 2023, Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh attributed the ethnic violence to the free movement of Myanmar nationals into India. He urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to terminate the FMR, which had been suspended on April 1, 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown and extended after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021.
• In response to the Chief Minister's stance, Kuki-Zo organizations accused him of unfairly labelling their community as "illegal immigrants" and "narco-terrorists" as a justification for what they perceive as "ethnic cleansing."

Mizoram's Opposition 

• Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma vehemently opposes the Centre's decision to fence the India-Myanmar border and terminate the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
• He asserts that the border, imposed by the British, was designed to divide people of the Zo ethnic stock.
• Lalduhoma highlights the strong ethnic ties between Mizos and the Chin people across the border, emphasizing the right of these communities to live together.
• For Lalduhoma and the Mizoram government, the proposed actions threaten the cultural unity shared by Mizos and Chins, challenging the historical fabric that binds these communities.

Nagaland's Response 

• The Nagaland government has not provided an official response, and the influential Naga Students' Federation has condemned the Centre's decision.
• They view the move to fence the border and end the FMR as regressive, anticipating that it could escalate conflicts in the region.
• The Naga Students' Federation emphasizes the historical truth that the territories between the Chindwin River in Myanmar and the Saramati Mountain in Nagaland belong to the Nagas.
• This statement underscores the federation's concern that the proposed measures may further complicate territorial issues and exacerbate tensions in the region.