BJP government must rethink scrapping of Free Movement Regime in Manipur and beyond
BJP government must rethink scrapping of Free Movement Regime in Manipur and beyond
Current Affairs Daily Editorials
La Excellence IAS Academy | March 21, 2024 | Internal Security
Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Internal Security, Topic: North -East regional issues, Issue: Free Movement Regime(FMR)
Context: Free Movement Regime(FMR) between India and Myanmar was suspended.
- India is planning to fence the entire India-Myanmar border with a hybrid surveillance system.
Significance of FMR:
- The India-Myanmar border is a colonial legacy, dividing communities with shared ethnicity, history, and culture.
- The FMR has been a lifeline,facilitating movement of residents living within 16 km of the border.
Reactions after suspension of FMR:
- Mizoram and Nagaland passed unanimous resolutions condemning the decision to withdraw the FMR.
- Nagas, Mizos, Chins, and Kuki-Jo communities oppose the withdrawal of FMR due to strong ethnic and kinship ties with Myanmar.
| FMR-Background
● Myanmar initiated FMR-like arrangements in 1948, allowing indigenous people from neighboring countries to travel without passports. ● India reciprocated in 1950, permitting ethnic community members within 40 km of the border to stay for up to 72 hours. ● In 1968, India introduced a permit system to curb insurgencies, reducing the geographic limit to 16 km. ● The Agreement on Land Border Crossing, or FMR, came into effect in 2018, allowing residents within 16 km of the border to visit the other side with a border pass. |
Source: Indian Express
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