A coordination body of five non-government organisations in Mizoram has requested the Centre to reconsider its decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the 1,643 km India-Myanmar border.
The FMR agreement entailed the border residents of both countries to travel up to 16 km within each other’s territory without any visa. A week ago, Home Minister Amit Shah announced the Centre’s decision to withdraw the FMR because of security concerns arising out of the ongoing civil war in Myanmar and the ethnic conflict in Manipur.
Manipur is one of four north-eastern States bordering Myanmar. The others are Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland.