India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime scrapped, announces Amit Shah

Home Ministry. File Pic/ AFP

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Centre has decided to scrap the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR) to maintain the country's internal security and demographic structure of the northeastern states. As the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recommended the immediate suspension of FMR, Shah said.

The announcement came two days after Shah said India has decided to fence the entire 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border. FMR allowed people residing close to the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km into each other's territory without any documents.

Amit Shah took X to made the announcement. He posted, "It is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji's resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India's North Eastern States bordering Myanmar".

The India-Myanmar border, which passes through Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh had FMR, which was implemented in 2018 as part of India's Act East policy. Fencing along the border has been a persistent demand of the Imphal valley-based Meitei groups which have been alleging that tribal militants often enter into India through the porous border, news wire PTI repot said.

On Tuesday, the home minister said besides constructing a fence along the entire Indo-Myanmar border, a patrol track along the border will also be paved to facilitate better surveillance. "They will fence a stretch of one km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Additionally, fence works covering approx 20 km in Manipur have also been approved, and the work will start soon," Shah said, PTI reported.

In July last year, the Manipur state government shared data that around 700 illegal immigrants entered the state. Besides, Mizoram has seen an influx of anti-Junta rebels in thousands since the military coup in Myanmar on February, 2021.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had also said that several persons from Myanmar tried to enter into his state but returned on seeing the presence of a large number of security personnel. Apart from Manipur and Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland shares border Myanmar.

On February 3, after meeting Shah, the Manipur chief minister said the Centre is set to take "some important decisions" in the interests of the people of the state. Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence. Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 after a tribal solidarity march was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then over 200 people have been killed in the continuing violence, PTI report added.

(With PTI inputs)