Manipur's Naga students body reaffirms support for peace process, opposes FMR

The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), in its second Presidential Council Meeting held at Konsakhul Village and hosted by the Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi, Manipur (LNKR-M), has reaffirmed its support for the Indo-Naga peace process. The association reiterated its commitment to the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement and called for a settlement that recognizes the Naga national flag and constitution as integral to the final accord.

In a resolution passed during the meeting, ANSAM expressed solidarity with all Naga political prisoners held in India and Myanmar, demanding their unconditional release as a confidence-building measure. The association urged the Government of India (GoI) to demonstrate political will and fairness to bring a logical conclusion to what it described as the longest unresolved political conflict in Southeast Asia.

ANSAM strongly condemned the abrogation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the imposition of border fencing in Naga territories, stating that such measures divide communities with longstanding social, familial, and economic ties. The association announced plans to undertake democratic actions to oppose these developments and called for reinstatement of the FMR.

The Council also addressed recent incidents of violence, particularly the April 5 assault on the Chief, Chairman, Pastor, and villagers of Konsakhul by individuals allegedly from L. Phaijang, Munlai, Haraothel villages, and armed militants disguised as civilians. ANSAM condemned the attack as inhumane and warned that continued neglect of such sensitive issues could escalate tensions.

Reasserting its commitment to defending ancestral land and identity, the association stated that any further attempts to bifurcate or alienate Naga territories would be firmly resisted. It urged the authorities to act with sincerity in peace negotiations and to treat the aspirations of the Naga people with the seriousness they deserve.