The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has firmly reiterated its opposition to the Centre's proposed border fencing along the India-Myanmar frontier through the Naga homeland, warning that any such attempt would be 'resisted by all means.' The statement, issued on Sunday, 17 August, also condemned the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) as 'anti-Naga.'

NSCN-IM's Core Position

The influential Naga group asserted that Nagas possess an inherent right to free movement within their homeland — a right they argue predates the drawing of international borders. 'Nagas have always maintained close ties with its neighbouring Naga villages before the Naga homeland was arbitrarily erected with the so-called border pillars, dismembering even the hearths of our homes which is not only outrageous but suppressive, oppressive and repressive in nature,' the NSCN-IM said in its statement.

The group drew a clear distinction between opposing all border fencing and opposing fencing specifically through Naga territory. 'Nagas are not illegal immigrants in their own land. Nagas do not object fencing elsewhere to check the influx of illegal immigrants, but at no cost will Nagas allow our homeland to be fenced/divided to serve the interest of others,' it stated.

Attack on Land Compensation Outreach

The NSCN-IM also took direct aim at what it described as the Union government's attempt to incentivise villagers with land compensation to facilitate fencing. 'The plot of Union government to entice the villagers with land compensation for fencing the border is a cheap agenda,' the group said, urging village chiefs and landowners to remain 'vigilant' and not 'succumb to such a derogatory approach.' The statement warned that 'the rights of Nagas cannot be bartered away for few dollars.'

Background: The FMR Scrapping and Fencing Plan

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced in 2024 that the Free Movement Regime — which had allowed residents living within 16 km of the India-Myanmar border to cross without a passport or visa — would be scrapped. In its place, the MHA proposed a border pass system for residents living within 10 km on either side of the frontier.

Separately, the MHA had decided to erect fencing along the entire 1,643-km unfenced border shared by Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram with Myanmar, at an estimated cost of ₹31,000 crore. The porous frontier has long been flagged by security agencies as a conduit for arms, ammunition, narcotics, and other contraband.

Broader Opposition in the Northeast

The NSCN-IM's resistance is not isolated. The governments of both Nagaland and Mizoram, along with a wide coalition of political parties and civil society organisations across the two states, have consistently opposed both the fencing plan and the FMR rollback. Critics argue the measures sever deep-rooted ethnic and cultural bonds that predate modern borders.

This is the latest in a series of public confrontations between Naga groups and the Centre over border policy — a fault line that intersects with the long-running Naga peace talks, which remain unresolved. How the Centre balances its security imperatives against these political sensitivities will be closely watched in the months ahead.