ICHAM draws Govt's eyes to border fencing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 02 2016: Information Centre for Hill Areas Manipur (ICHAM) has urged the State Government to intervene in the Indo-Myanmar border fencing row, process of which was halted after a public protest in June 2013 .

The Indo-Myanmar border fencing which the Government of India and Government of Manipur with its Myanmar counterpart started in June 2013 was strongly protested by the public as fear of losing land lurked, stated ICHAM N Rajendro (Boy) in a press briefing today at the residence of ICHAM's founder advisor BB Sharma located at Uripok Yambem Leikai.

Other members and advisors of the organization took part in the press meet.

Recalling the recent visit by ICHAM from Feb 22 to 24 with villagers to the international border areas of Tengnoupal block of Chandel district, he stated that large stretch of land will be lost if the border fencing resumes in the same manner as planned by the Government of India earlier.

Yet the State Government has been silent till today, he added Mention may be made that, following a protest in 2013, the then Joint Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs, North East, Shambhu Singh visited border pillar number 78 and 79 and claimed there are anomalies in the work and directed to halt the border fencing work.

Earlier, Principal Secretary Suresh Babu also clarified that the ongoing border fencing is security fencing between India and Myanmar.

After the disagreement between public and Govt on border fencing, Committee on Protection of Land in Border Fencing (CPLBF) was formed to further press their demand for a free and fair demarcation of land between Myanmar and India for the said border fencing, he added.

Till today, ICHAM and CPLBF have been pressing the authorities concerned of the State Government and the Government of India to include local residents of the border villages in re-demarcation for border fencing.

Surprisingly, the State Government has failed to take up necessary steps to save the land and people residing in border areas after reports of the recent visit were published in all media, claimed Rajendro.

He stated people residing in border areas are part of Manipur and India.

Further, he questioned why all MLAs of the State are silent on the issue in the ongoing State Assembly Session and added that the Assembly Session should not discuss only on the budget of Manipur.

He warned that if the State Govt and Central Govt fail to take active steps as soon as possible to end the border fencing row by heeding the demands placed by ICHAM and CPLBF, uproar from the public is inevitable.

He added that the total geographical area of Manipur is 22, 356 square kilometre and there is apprehension that about 1000 square kilometres of land may be lost if the border fencing continues in the same manner.

"We are not against the border fencing, but we cannot lose our land through the border fencing," Rajendro said.

Losing 1000 square kilometre of land for a small State like Manipur is not acceptable at any cost and elected leaders should take prompt steps to save every inch of the land, he asserted.

General Secretary of ICHAM, Ngachonmi Ramshang stressed that the three year old issue must be brought to an end in the larger interest of the general public.

Unless the authorities concerned conduct re-survey and re-demarcate the land with the participation of locals, ICHAM and CPLBF will not remain mere spectators, he added.

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