Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang has urged the Centre to ask Myanmar to stop border fencing in the Noklak area of Tuensang district in the state as it will adversely affect free movement of the people and also, the traditional land-holding system prevailing in the area.
According to a statement issued by the chief minister’s office in Kohima on Thursday, Zeliang took up the issue with Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday and pointed out that the people of Noklak stood to lose some 3,500 acres of land which they had been cultivating for generations.
“Border fencing is also not in tune with the free movement regime shared by both India and Myanmar,” Zeliang said while pointing out that unlike the India-Pakistan border region, people of the area have been living peacefully together for long and as such, there was no need for border fencing.
“The communities living on both sides of the border in these areas have very close cultural and social affinity and there are instances where they hold land on both sides of the border,” Zeliang pointed out.
“Moreover, the Act East policy of the Government of India intends to improve trade and communications across the Indo-Myanmar border and fencing of the boundaries would defeat the very purpose of the Act East Policy,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Moreover, the Act East policy of the Government of India intends to improve trade and communications across the Indo-Myanmar border and fencing of the boundaries would defeat the very purpose of the Act East Policy,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The Union home minister told the chief minister that the MHA had written to the ,inistry of external affairs to take up the issue with Myanmar and ask it not to proceed with border fencing on its side.