Uproar over border fencing : Dialling Delhi with a purpose
- Sangai Express Editorial :: December 06 , 2013 -
border fencing between India and Myanmar at Moreh on September 8 2013 :: Pix - Som Sorokhaibam
The final word is yet to be said, but the wind of happy tidings sweeping in from Delhi is a welcome reprieve. The Prime Minister of India has already delivered an explicit statement : Not an inch of land would be ceded to a neighbouring country. A positive development.
Top this up with the resolution taken at Delhi on December 5 that a joint delegation of officials concerned of the Government of India along with representatives of all political parties of Manipur as well State Government officials would conduct a spot verification of the border fencing on December 7 and 8, and Delhi seems keen to send out the signal that it has taken a serious view on the issue.
The addendum, ‘suspend the fencing work, till the issues raised are settled’ and this is definitely an indication that the decision to form an all political party delegation and proceed to Delhi to present Manipur’s case was a step in the right direction.
The MPP and the BJP had their own reasons to stay away from the all political party team, but their absence can also be interpreted as some sort of a pressure tactic a par excellence political tactic.
However, as said before, the final word is yet to be said and the very recent assurance of the Prime Minister and the decision of the Union Home Ministry to depute a team to oversee the fencing work at this point of time, come loaded with questions.
Why did it take Delhi so long to respond to the situation ?
The hue and cry raised against the ongoing border fencing work, the alleged construction of a military barrack of the Myanmarese army well within the boundary of Manipur dates back many, many months.
If such a situation had occurred at the western front, bordering Pakistan, then to be sure Delhi would have responded immediately and brought it to the notice of the international community.
It is for this very reason why The Sangai Express had in an earlier commentary in this column more than hinted that Delhi would not hesitate to sacrifice the interest of Manipur and her people at the altar of the Look East Policy.
Remember, Myanmar is the gateway to the South East Asian countries and the LEP is all about these countries.
Now that the Prime Minister himself has assured that not an inch of land would be ceded to the neighbouring country in the course of the border fencing work and with the Union Home Ministry seemingly taking the issue with all the seriousness it deserves, perhaps it is time for all the political parties to shed their differences and not try to take political mileage out of the issue.
In other words, time for all to pool in their heads together and try to come to an amicable settlement.
Take note, it is not a border dispute.
There can be no dispute as it should be clear from all the visits as well as from the testimonials of the villagers settled along the border area.
However this should not be taken as any sort of a confrontation between Manipur and Myanmar.
Rather, it should be an issue between the Government of India and the Government of Manipur. The target should be clear.
The buck should stop at Delhi and not Myanmar.
A wrong approach could send out a very wrong signal, something which would prove detrimental in the future, especially in the face of the recent visit of the Chief Ministers of Mandalay and Sagaing region to attend the Manipur Sangai Festival.
The priority should be clear.
Encourage people to people contact, which in turn would lead to more active commercial and business ventures between the people of Manipur and Myanmar.
But yet at the same time, respect the sanctity of each others’ boundary and land. This is where the boundary ball should be tossed on the play ground of Delhi and not Myanmar.
December 7 and 8 would certainly be the most immediate important dates to the people of Manipur.
* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website.