Overview

• They issued a joint communiqué refusing land compensation or negotiations related to the fencing project.
• They demanded suspension of ongoing works in affected areas and the withdrawal of forces and equipment.
• The chiefs argue fencing and the end of the Free Movement Regime threaten identity, mobility, and ancestral lands.
• A quote from the statement stressed principles over payouts: “This is not about money—it is about our rights, our land, and our survival.”
• The move follows months of ethnic unrest since May 2023 and echoes objections also voiced by the United Naga Council; signatories include chiefs from Tengnoupal district villages such as New Shijang, Huolenphai, and Motha.