Chandel District Village Chiefs Voice Strong Opposition to Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing

In a collective protest, fourteen village chiefs of the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur's Chandel district have come out against the on-going border fencing project. They have all collectively decided to stop all constructions in their areas, citing an attack on their land, identity, and community interests. The chiefs warned that if such authorities as the Border Roads Task Force go ahead with the work in defiance of their objections, they would not be held accountable for any consequences. They have attached their demand to stop construction to the larger political demand for a Separate Administration for the Kuki-Zo people, a core demand of the state's long-standing ethnic insurgency.