Background:
Government of India is decided to withdraw the exisiting Free Movement regime owing to multiple issues. India-Myanmar shares International Border stretches for around 1643kilometers (1,021) long along the northeastern states of India which are; Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and western region of Myanmar. Similar to other border disputes, India too have border issues with Myanmar leading border related war in the past. Particularly, first Anglo-Burmese war (1824-26) and the Third Anglo-Burmese war (1885) was waged to prevent border expansion by Myanmar Kingdom.
Post-Independence:
Image source: The Hindu
The invention of Look East policy covers border relation and to improve India-Myanmar border line, fencing the border area is advocated in ‘Act East Policy’. Significantly, the aim of Act East Policy is to promote economic prosperity through opening the gateway of India that is north eastern states to East Asian countries.
Apparently, investment in border infrastructure is imperative to produce a seamless cross border movement across the states for smooth transaction of logistics and people. Communities living along the border areas must be protected and border menaces such as illegal infiltration, smuggling of drugs-species-human trafficking, money laundering and terrorism could be detected immediately.
Free Movement Regime:
FMR allows people residing near to the India-Myanmar border to venture 16km into each other’s territory without visa. Under FMR, every member of hill tribes who is either citizen of India or Myanmar can cross 16km on production of a border pass with one year validity and live there up to two weeks per visit.
This was implemented in 2018 as per of India’s Act East policy to symbolise ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. It is a mutual agreement in unfenced border area of India and Myanmar stemmed from 1970s arrangement and revised for the last time in 2016. People of both sides have familial and ethnic ties, to continue the bonhomie among communities both the states agreed Free Movement Regime.
Issues with Free Movement Regime:
North Eastern insurgency a nightmare for India’s security often shares shelter in the dense forest of Myanmar. Government apprehends insurgency could be backed by China linked Myanmar entity to work against India’s sovereignty and integrity. Insurgency from India-Myanmar border has been posing a severe damage to the peace and harmony of northeastern states.
Ethnic violence and cleansing hinges a serious threat to the border areas after a military coup in Myanmar as there was an influx of unrecorded migrants. Nearly 44000 refugees were said to be settled in Mizoram and Manipur.
The Manipur government has suspended the FMR during Covid situation. Manipur Chief Minister has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to scrap the FMR and urged to finish fencing process. Manipur shares around 390 km of porous border with Myanmar and only about 10km has been fenced so far. Last year in July, Manipur government submitted data of 700 illegal immigrants entered the state.
Meanwhile, Mizoram has been an influx of anti-junta rebels in thousands since the military coup in Myanmar on February1, 2021. Mizoram shares a 510 km long porous border with Myanmar. As per government data, several thousand refugees are living in various parts of Myanmar since the coup regime.
Withdrawing FMR: The idea is to prevent misuse of FMR which is used by insurgent groups to carry out attack on Indian side and flee towards Myanmar. Besides to stop illegal immigrants and illegal cross border activities Government is decided to scrap FMR soon by completing fencing procedure
