The Khiamniungan Tribal Council (KTC) has urged the Nagaland Governor to reconsider the proposed Indo-Myanmar border fencing and uphold the Free Movement Regime (FMR) of 2018.
In a representation submitted through the Deputy Commissioner of Noklak, KTC president L Ngon and general secretary P Hatho called the border demarcation from Pillar No. 139 (Thongsonyu) to Pillar No. 146 (ITC DAN, Pangsha) an “arbitrary colonial decision” made without the consent of the Khiamniungan people or the Nagas.
KTC rejected historical treaties, including the 1826 Treaty of Yandaboo and the 1967 Yangon Agreement, as “erroneous and unacceptable.” The council emphasized that the Khiamniungan community has always lived united across the border, sharing social, economic, cultural, and familial ties.
KTC warned that border fencing would disrupt traditional livelihoods, as many depend on agriculture and jhum cultivation on both sides of the border. The council stated that imposing movement restrictions would violate fundamental rights and threaten their way of life.
Declaring strong opposition, KTC vowed to resist any external imposition that limits their freedom of movement. The council also urged the Indian and Nagaland governments to prioritize ITC (DAN) as a functional development zone under the Act East Policy, fostering diplomatic relations with Southeast Asian nations rather than imposing restrictions.