Centre Seeks Backing from Mizoram Groups on Border Fencing Amid Cultural Concerns
New Delhi :In an effort to move forward with its border security plans, the Centre has reached out to civil society organisations in Mizoram, urging them to support its decision to fence the India-Myanmar border. This request was reportedly made during a meeting between Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and leaders of five prominent Mizo organisations in New Delhi on Tuesday.According to Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) general secretary Malsawmliana, representatives from CYMA, the influential Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), and other groups engaged in discussions with the Home Secretary. The agenda focused on the Centre’s plans to erect fencing along the international border and revoke the Free Movement Regime (FMR), which currently allows residents in border areas to travel up to 16 km into each other's territory without a visa.During the meeting, the Mizo leaders expressed concern over the potential cultural and emotional implications of these decisions. They urged the central government to take into account the unique ethnic and familial ties shared by communities on both sides of the border.In response, the Home Secretary acknowledged the sentiments of the Mizo people but requested the organisations not to oppose the initiative. He appealed for their cooperation, stating that the fencing project is crucial for national security and to curb cross-border illegal activities.Additionally, Mohan assured the civil society groups that the Centre would extend financial support to Mizoram through the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to strengthen efforts in combating drug trafficking and substance abuse, which remain pressing issues in the state.India shares a 1,643-kilometre-long border with Myanmar, with 510 kilometres running through Mizoram. The proposed fencing and the withdrawal of the FMR have been met with resistance from various Northeastern groups, who fear it would divide families and disrupt age-old ethnic ties.The Centre’s appeal for cooperation marks a significant step in its bid to balance national security priorities with the preservation of the region’s cultural fabric.
