india-myanmar-border-pass-system-draws-flak-in-manipur

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), representing the Meitei community in Manipur, has voiced strong opposition to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) recent notification on a border pass system aimed at facilitating limited cross-border movement between India and Myanmar.

Describing the notification as “unfortunate,” COCOMI Media Coordinator Yumkhaibam Surjit Kumar Khuman accused the Assam Rifles of partiality and claimed that the system posed a direct threat to the state’s security and communal harmony.

Earlier in Februray, Imphal valley-based Meitei organisations hd welcomed the Centre's decision to fence the entire 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, while Naga and Kuki bodies in Manipur said "it is not acceptable to them".

Speaking to the mediapersons on Wednesday, Khuman warned, “Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists and infiltrators from Myanmar have already caused significant damage to Manipur and its people. This order will further erode the security, integrity, and social harmony of the state.”

The border pass system, outlined in a 24 December notification issued to Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, permits Myanmar nationals residing within 10 km of the international border to enter Manipur for specified purposes.

Similarly, Indian residents within the same radius are allowed entry into Myanmar.

This system replaces the suspended Free Movement Regime (FMR), which previously allowed freer border crossings but was halted due to security concerns.

COCOMI has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order, arguing it undermines Manipur’s territorial integrity.

The committee further alleged that the Assam Rifles were complicit in facilitating illegal cross-border activities, adding to the state’s vulnerabilities.

The MHA, however, asserts that the measure is intended to regulate and monitor border crossings while addressing local needs.

The introduction of the border pass system has reignited tensions in Manipur, which has been grappling with inter-community strife and issues stemming from cross-border migration.

COCOMI’s opposition reflects the growing concerns among local communities regarding the impact of such policies on regional stability and harmony.