India's Border With Myanmar to be Fenced, Says Amit Shah After Hundreds of Soldiers Cross Into India

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that India’s open borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh will be fenced. Speaking at passing out parade of state police commandos in Assam, Shah said, “Our borders with Myanmar is an open border. The Narendra Modi government has decided to protect the India-Myanmar border…and we will work towards building fence in the entire border area (with Myanmar) on par with the borders with Bangladesh.”

The Union Minister’s statement comes as hundreds of Myanmar soldiers are said to have crossed the border into India to flee an advance by armed insurgents fighting the country’s junta.

Meanwhile, Mizoram’s CM Laldohuma expressed anticipation of President’s rule being imposed in Manipur amidst escalating violence.

Speaking at the 71st Plenary Session of the North East Council in Shillong, Laldohuma emphasized the need for a resolution involving the centre, the Manipur government and tribal leaders. He asserted, “The buck stops at the Home Ministry.”

Quoting government sources, an NDTV report said around 600 Myanmar Army soldiers crossed into India in the last three months and took refuge in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district after their camps were captured by the Arakan Army (AA) militants – an ethnic armed group in the western Myanmar state of Rakhine.

By building a fence along the Myanmar border, India will scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between the two countries. This means that people living in border regions will soon require a visa to enter the other country.

“The India-Myanmar border will be protected like the Bangladesh border… The Government of India will stop the free movement with Myanmar,” Shah said.

Earlier today, the Mizoram government urged the Centre to ensure that the soldiers from the neighbouring nations are sent back.

In September 2023, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had urged the Central government to stop the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the Indo-Myanmar border to curb “illegal immigration”.

Bru Tribes Also Involved

The Bru tribes, residing in relief camps in Tripura since 1997 due to ethnic clashes, have also been part of the broader regional complexities. CM Lalduhoma conveyed to Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar his opposition to fencing the Mizoram-Myanmar border, citing historical implications and rejecting the British colonial legacy.

The stance of Mizoram has raised concerns in Manipur, where the Meiteis attribute the violence to alleged illegal immigration from Myanmar and a network of drug traffickers fueled by poppy cultivation. Manipur CM Singh had earlier urged Mizoram not to interfere in internal matters but to support in restoring peace.

The ongoing ethnic tension between the Kuki tribes and Meiteis in Manipur dates back to May 3, 2023. The situation has prompted a call for coordinated efforts involving the central government, state governments, and tribal leaders to address the complex issues contributing to the unrest in the region.