Kohima: The NSCN (IM) is fighting back. Yaruiwo Q Tuccu issued a formal notification on August 15, signaling hard resistance against proposed fencing along the India-Myanmar border. The group claims this construction cuts directly through the Naga homeland. It threatens to split families and stifle traditional movement across the region.
India cites security concerns as the primary driver for ending the Free Movement Regime. The NSCN (IM) labels this policy anti-Naga. They argue that border pillars already caused enough damage by carving up their territory decades ago. The group insists their people are not illegal immigrants in their own land. They remain firm that Nagas are one wherever they are.
Fencing elsewhere might pass, but the group forbids it here. They view federal offers of land compensation as a cheap agenda meant to trick local leaders. Tuccu urged village chiefs and landowners to reject these payments. They view the entire proposal as a derogatory approach that sells out customary rights. The group warned against intimidation by state forces. They refuse to bow to any suppressive or repressive actions.
The notification ended with a blunt challenge to the current population. "The present Naga generation must stand firm for the future Naga generation like the forefathers who stood their ground for us," the group stated. Officials expect local leaders to remain vigilant as the standoff continues.
Updated at 17th August 2026 at 5:48pm
The federal push for a 1,643 km fence along the Myanmar frontier comes with a staggering price tag of Rs 31,000 crore. While the government frames the project as a fix for arms smuggling, narcotics, and unauthorized entries, the plan has triggered a backlash beyond just the NSCN (IM). The governments of Nagaland and Mizoram have joined political parties and civil society groups in openly challenging the move.
The current federal proposal aims to replace the legacy Free Movement Regime, which once allowed residents within 16 km of the border to cross without a passport or visa. New rules would limit this to a 10 km buffer and require official passes for all movement.
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