On Wednesday, the Manipur government announced that the Centre has re-imposed the Protected Area Regime (PAR), also known as the Protected Area Permit (PAP), in the states of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, all of which share borders with Myanmar. This decision marks the return of restrictions after 13 years, primarily driven by security concerns related to the influx of migrants from neighboring countries.
Reason for Re-imposition
The Manipur government stated that the reintroduction of the PAR was necessary due to security concerns arising from alleged illegal immigration from Myanmar. This influx of people has been identified as one of the key factors contributing to the ongoing conflict in the state. The government communicated the re-imposition of the PAR to the Chief Secretaries of the three states, instructing that the relaxations be withdrawn immediately.
Confusion Among Mizoram and Nagaland Officials
However, senior officials in both Mizoram and Nagaland have expressed confusion, as they have not yet received any official communication from the Union Home Ministry regarding the re-imposition of the PAR. According to officials, they only learned about the decision through media reports. As of now, the Union Home Ministry has not issued any notification to change the existing guidelines, which currently exclude these states from the PAR.
Guidelines of the Protected Area Regime
The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 governs the Protected Area Regime. According to this order, foreign nationals are not allowed to visit protected areas unless they can justify their visit for extraordinary reasons. Certain areas within these protected zones may be visited by tourists with a permit, and for other purposes, prior permission from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is required.
History of the PAR in Border States
Before 2011, the PAR applied to all of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, as well as parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, which are border states. In 2010, the restrictions were relaxed for Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland for a period of one year, with subsequent extensions. This relaxation aimed to boost tourism in these states, with the UPA government at the time stating that the lifting of restrictions had been requested by the state governments.
Despite the relaxation, some restrictions remained, particularly for citizens and foreign nationals from Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, who still required prior approval for entry into these states.
Impact of Reintroducing the PAR
The re-imposition of the PAR is seen as a response to the ongoing conflict in Manipur, where the government and many sections of Meitei civil society have blamed the uncontrolled influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar’s Chin community for the instability. The Chin community shares ethnic ties with the Kuki-Zomi and Mizo communities in India.
The Manipur government had previously called for the cancellation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar, which allowed border tribes to travel up to 16 km inside the neighboring country without a visa. In January, the Centre announced the cancellation of the FMR and plans to fence the entire length of the Indo-Myanmar border running through Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
While Manipur welcomed these decisions, they faced stiff opposition in Mizoram and Nagaland, where border communities have traditionally enjoyed the right to free movement. The reintroduction of the PAR is expected to further restrict movement in these states.
Criticism of the Decision
A former Manipur chief secretary criticized the re-imposition of the PAR, stating that the existing situation did not warrant such a restrictive measure. He argued that the PAR would not address the issue of unregulated border crossings, as people crossing the border would not apply for a permit.
Tourism Concerns in Nagaland
While Nagaland has been emphasizing its tourism sector, including the Hornbill Festival, which attracted 2.05 lakh visitors (including 2,527 foreign tourists), the reintroduction of the PAR could have a negative impact on tourism in the state.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- Why did the Manipur government announce the re-imposition of the Protected Area Regime (PAR)?
- a) To boost tourism in the state
- b) Due to security concerns over illegal immigration from Myanmar
- c) To restrict foreign nationals from entering the state
- d) None of the above
- Which states are affected by the re-imposition of the Protected Area Regime (PAR)?
- a) Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir
- b) Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland
- c) Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
- d) All of the above
- What was the purpose of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar?
- a) To allow foreign nationals to travel freely across the border
- b) To allow tribes living along the border to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a visa
- c) To boost trade between India and Myanmar
- d) To promote tourism in the border areas
- Which community has been blamed for the ongoing conflict in Manipur due to illegal immigration?
- a) Kuki-Zomi
- b) Chin community
- c) Meitei
- d) Mizo
- What was the reaction of the officials in Mizoram and Nagaland regarding the re-imposition of the PAR?
- a) They received official communication from the Union Home Ministry
- b) They were aware of the decision through media reports
- c) They fully supported the decision
- d) They were unaware of the decision