A new twist in border row
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 30, 2013 -
All party team studies border issue headed by Dy CM Gaikhangam visited Moreh on Manipur-Myanmar border on 22 October 2013 :: Pix - Ashok Ninghoujam
How serious is the Government of Manipur towards resolving the long-standing border dispute with neighbouring country Myanmar?
This was a question we asked earlier through this column on July 29 last.
Unfortunately, the question remains still relevant with no answer or tangible solution in sight despite the repeated assurances given by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh-led Congress Government that not an inch of Manipur’s land would be given to anyone or country or the concern shown by other opposition parties in the State over the border row.
The hollowness of these assurances and concern is becoming evidently clear from the fact that even after a lapse of one week, the report of the inspection visit made by a delegation of all political parties to the disputed border sites along the Indo-Myanmar International boundary at Moreh has not yet been drafted, and the difference of opinions among the political parties has come in the way of finalising the draft report, thus necessitating formation of another sub-committee to carry out the unfinished task.
On completion of the draft report, another delegation of all-party team is supposed to head for National Capital for submission of the draft report to the Centre for necessary actions and measures.
Leaving aside the question of whether or not the Government of India would actually act on the draft report to be submitted, one startling development that has caught our attention is the report of a group of young people in Chin State planning to seek intervention of their lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann towards demarcation of the boundary dispute with India.
According to the report, the Kalay-based Upper Chindwin Youth Network decided to seek the intervention of Thura Shwe Mann as the Chin State authorities had been unable to resolve the border issue despite the fact that a post demarcating the border near Tamu, opposite Moreh, in India’s Manipur State, had been moved into Myanmar territory.
Quoting the findings of its own investigation, the group has asserted that the border post no. 23 has been moved about two miles inside Myanmar.
However, on this side of the border, various social organisations and other political organisations which have already inspected the disputed border sites claimed that border pillar no. 21 and 23 could very well be the missing missing border pillar no. 28 and 21 respectively.
This shows that the ongoing border dispute between Manipur and Myanmar is becoming rather tricky and it is not likely to be resolved without a joint survey first, the sooner, the better.
Of course, there would be no end to issues and problems coming up in Manipur from time to time.
But that should not be an excuse for ignoring the unresolved pending issues or problems. This same principle should apply in the case of resolving border dispute between Myanmar and Manipur as well.
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