The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has alleged that the Centre’s decision to abandon the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and install security fencing along the 1600 km long international corridor in the North East has not only hurt the sentiments of the tribals in the region but also seen as a move to erase “our history and our shared past.”
In a press note, the Rising People’s Party the decision has also shocked the tribal peoples of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. RPP said that historically, the roots of the issue trace back to the early 20th century when the British, for “administrative reasons”, divided the territory of the Nagas and Mizo-Chins, creating British-Assam and British-Burma. However, the separation of Burma from British India in 1937 resulted in the irreversible loss of ethnic identities for the Nagas and Mizo-Chin people of Burma to the dominion of the Burmans, the majority ethnic group in Burma.
While pointing out that the “insensitivity of the British has never been forgotten”, RPP accused the BJP government of “rubbing salt into old wounds”. RPP said that if government of India “bulldozes” ahead with its “irrational decision”, the fragile peace in the region would be shattered.
Rather than working towards a lasting solution in the Northeast, RPP alleged that the Centre seemed to be pursuing a confrontational policy.
The party said that the government of India’s “fatal decision on Free Movement Regime will be a call to insurrection in the Northeast– already reeling from the ethnic conflict in Manipur– eventually leading to Balkanization/break-up of India.”
“Our shared history with our kins in Burma cannot be erased with security fencing, and it’s important that India’s leaders listen to us with compassion,” RPP stated.
In this regard, RPP has urged upon all Nagas and the Zo people to come together for a common cause, “to stand up against powers bend on erasure of our history”. As a first step, RPP appealed to all Nagas and the Zo-Kuki-Chin family– and all the Churches, to fervently pray unceasingly that the Lord may grant wisdom to the Indian leaders, and for the two peoples to rise up as one in tackling an issue having ramifications for our existence as a people with shared history and identity.