Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma reiterated today (February 17) that his government is opposed to the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border and the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR). During an interaction with leaders of the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), Lalduhoma said the present border was imposed by the British through a divide-and-rule policy separating the Mizos.
He said the Mizos living in India and Myanmar still dream of re-unification under one administrative unit. The chief minister said his government wanted the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar to continue. He said he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on two occasions in January and February and told him about Mizoram's stand on Indo-Myanmar border fencing and lifting of the FMR.
He said he had urged the home minister not to construct a fence on the Mizoram side even if the Manipur side of the Indo-Myanmar border is fenced. Lalduhoma expressed optimism that the Centre may not fence the 510-km-long Mizoram-Myanmar border.
Meanwhile, NGOCC said it will hold a demonstration in Aizawl on February 21 to register a protest against the Centre's decision to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and scrap the FMR. The NGOCC is a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations and student bodies, including the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP).
The committee had earlier sent a memorandum to Shah urging the Centre to reconsider its decision to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and end the FMR.
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