The image used only for representation. , Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar
22 out of 43 crossing points along the Myanmar border under modified Free movement governance (FMR) agreement On Thursday, a senior government official said that he has started working. To regulate the movement of people living within 10 km of the Indo-Myanmar border, at least 10 Seema Gates has started operations in Manipur, five gates are operational in each Mizoram and Nagaland and two in Arunachal Pradesh.
On 6 December, the Union Home Ministry finalized the new guidelines to regulate the movement of border residents with the QR Code competent pass. As reported Hindu On 25 December, although Home Minister Amit Shah announced that FMR is being abolished, the agreement has not been suspended and no formal orders have been issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Myanmar is engaged in an acute armed conflict between ethnic armed organizations (EAOS) and military jute.
As per the revised guidelines, 43 crossing points were finalized by MHA and Assam Rifles are assigned with the work of monitoring the movement of people across the border.
After a coup on 1 February 2021, the Myanmar army, after capturing the country, more than 40,000 refugees belonging to the Chin Ethnic Group demanded shelter in Mizoram and Manipur.
Ethnic relations
The FMR was brought out in 1968 due to ethnic and family relations between people on both sides of the north-eastern border. Initially the regional limit of free movement was 40 km, which was reduced to 16 km in 2004 and additional rules were implemented in 2016. The official said that now it has come down to 10 km.
The official said that unique arrangements allow the border residents to visit relatives and families without visas or passports. “FMR is being regulated keeping in mind the sensitivity of the border population. People are being allowed with the border pass and their biometrics are being recorded. We upload details and biometrics on a centralized portal and check whether the person is in a negative list, ”the official said.
Assam rifles have been designated as an agency to issue border passes and operate the first layer of security verification for people entering India from Myanmar. The State Police in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, which shares a border with Myanmar, will conduct security checks at the place of Myanmar’s stay. The border pass will be valid for seven days.
21 additional border check points with a 1,643 km international border will be functional in the second phase.
Published – February 14, 2025 01:54 AM IST
