Indo-Myanmar Fraternal Alliance (IMFA) urges
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 01 2013:
Indo-Myanmar Fraternal Alliance (IMFA) has urged the State Government to send a high power Ministerial team to Moreh to look into the prevailing border dispute and fix the exact point where border fencing is to be erected.
Speaking to reporters IMFA President RK Shivachandra said, as per International convention, border fencing must be erected 150 yards (137 metres) inside one's territory from the point zero or border pillar or river or landmark.
However, the two countries could also bilaterally decide a mutually agreed distance, he said and added that the border fencing at Gate No 2 - Namphalong and Moreh is erected at point zero.
Likewise, border fencing is put up at point zero at Mohanpur and Kailashar areas of Tripura along Indo-Bangladesh border, he added.
At Karimganj area of Assam, border fencing between India and Bangladesh is erected at a distance of 25 yards (3.5 km) from point zero, Shivachandra said.
However, in the case of Indo-Myanmar border fencing, neither State Government nor Central Government has spelt out the mutually agreed distance to be maintained by the two countries from the border pillar or point zero, he added.
Shivachandra added that Principal Secretary Home Dr J Suresh Babu's recent statement regarding border fencing had given more confusion to the people.
He further questioned why the State Government would not be able to protect the land of Manipur if Assam Government could save their land at Karimganj during Indo-Bangladesh border fencing.
Shivachandra also urged the Government not to remain as a silent spectator if the neighbouring country tries to encroach into the territory of Manipur.