ICHAM bats for border security
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 11 2014 :
The Infor-mation Centre for Hill Areas Manipur (ICHAM) has urged all the legislators of the State to constitute a committee during the ongoing Assembly session which would work out a formu-la for opening a station of State forces at Haollenphai, Satang , Z Choro, Tungjoy, Dzuko valley and Jessami.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today, ICHAM president N Rajen-dro said that they started inspecting the border fencing work along Indo-Myanmar border together with concerned village chiefs since June 26, 2013 .
Leaving out a large tract of Manipur's territory on the side of Myanmar, the Government of India started the border fencing work.
But following a public uproar, the border fencing work was suspended.
At that time, different political parties took active roles to stall the border fencing work but it turned out that their engagement with the issue was not in the interest of the State.
They were capitalising on the issue to score political mileage with a view to the parliamentary election held in April this year.
|
ICHAM volunteers together with village chiefs visited the border areas recently.
They observed that Manipur stands to lose a large tract of land 70 Kms in length between Moreh and Z Choro, 5 Kms at Satang and another 105 Sq Kms at Z Choro, Rajendro said.
Saying that the Burmese Army have been working to shift away Z Choro village whereas the Indian Army has been erecting separate border pillars, Rajendro said that a house committee should be constituted during the ongoing Assembly session.
The Indo-Myanmar boundary along Manipur sector should be defined with ambiguity.
It is the villagers not the Government of Manipur who are safeguarding the State's boundary.
But there is no one to look after the villagers.
Claiming that Burmese army have been infiltrating into the territory of Manipur every now and then, Rajendro urged all political parties to take up the issue with all the seriousness it deserves.
When six villagers of Melory went for paddy cultivation, they were detained by some VDF personnel of Nagaland.
The Melory villagers were thrashed blue and black before they were set free even though Melory is well within the boundary of Nagaland.
Even though Tungjoy is within the territory of Manipur, the Government of Nagaland has been constructing a dam there while the Government of Manipur remains a mute spectator.
The dam has been under construction since 2009.The Government of Manipur need to do something on the case in the interest of the people of Manipur, Rajendro said.
He also urged the State Government to build guest house at the district headquarters of Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong and Sadar Hills.
A similar guest house should be constructed at Imphal.