Border fencing violates human rights, says MSU
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 16 2013 : Stating that the arbitrary International boundary line between India and Myanmar in which large chunk of land has been lost due to different events of boundary demarcation is an act of human rights violation and discriminates the rights of indigenous peoples, Maring Students' Union (MSU) has asked to conduct resurvey of Indo-Myanmar boundary line with the knowledge and consent of Marings who have been protecting the land since time immemorial.

In its press release, the MSU is surprised to learn that GOI and GOM initiated to fence the Indo-Myanmar border without the knowledge and consent of the indigenous peoples living at the area.

There have been events of boundary demarcation between India and Burma since the Yandaboo treaty 1826.Another boundary demarcation was done in 1834 between the British India and King of Ava which was resurveyed in 1881 by Col Johnstone.

Again in 1967 agreement, the Union of India and Union of Burma have redrawn the boundary line ceding large part of our land to Burma.

All these boundary demarcations were done without the knowledge and consent of the Marings indigenous people.

The Marings have their understanding and traditional boundary lines with others, the release stated and added that the GOI and GOM did not stop their stepmotherly treatment attitude to Maring here, and it ordered to declare the Yangoupokpi Lokchao as wildlife Sanctuary in 1989, which is inhabited by Maring.

It said, the Maring has enough proof of existence since ancestors at the present Maring Hills (Yomma Range by Maring) and the vast valley (Washaphai/Mungringphai/Kaangmaangphai in Maring) which the outsiders called it as Kabo Valley.

Therefore, MSU has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI to respect the Rights of Indigenous Peoples if to talk about International practices and the ground level facts of boundary lines, and urged the concern authority to withdraw the order of declaration of wildlife sanctuary and also to conduct resurvey of Indo-Myanmar border with the consent of Maring, without which MSU will not entertain any plan regarding the boundary line demarcation and border fencing.

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