Unfair Game
- Imphal Times Editorial :: July 10 2018 -

Allegations and the clarifications over the issue of the Border Pillar Number 81 reinstated at Indo-Myanmar border of Manipur sector finally is turning to an unfair game which will definitely do no good either to the people of the state as well as for the country.

The issue of border dispute along the Manipur sector of Indo-Myanmar international boundary is not a new one.

Since the time that India and Myanmar had reached an agreement for fencing of the International boundary villagers who had been guarding the territory of Manipur has been making hue and cry over the loss of land after Myanmar authority allegedly encroached to Indian territory by shifting some of the border pillars towards Indian side.

In addition to the claim made by the Indian villagers from the border area, civil societies of the state including UCM, AMUCO, ICHAM etc. joined the voice of the villagers of border areas of Indian side and the joint movement finally urged the then congress government to urge central authority to put halt of the construction of border fencing.

A meeting was held between the authorities of India Government and that of Myanmar in 2016, from September 6 to 7 at Dehradun and discussed to settle the border dispute.

Representatives of the Manipur Government too attended the meeting as per invitation from the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India.

That was a time when the Congress was in power in the state while the BJP led NDA is at the centre there was no specific report of the resolution adopted in that meeting.

But the then Chief Minister Okram Ibobi had stated that he along with the then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr. Suresh Babu had objected the continuation of the construction of border pillars until it was properly surveyed and demarcated.

Well recently, District Administration of the Tengnoupal District had once more hatched the matter about the intrusion of the Indian Territory by the Myanmar Authority while reinstating the Border Pillar No. 81. He declared it through media.

Following that almost all political parties and members of civil society organisations had visited and took stock of the alleged encroachment by the Myanmar Authority near Kwatha Village.

Even the BJP Manipur Pradesh team which had taken stock of the situation agreed that the border pillar has been reinstated inside the territory of the country.

Hours after the BJP Manipur Pradesh team accepted that Myanmar authority had intruded to the Indian Territory.

The Union Ministry of External Affairs had issued an official press statement saying that there is no dispute along the Manipur Sector of Indo-Myanmar Border.

Days before BJP Manipur Pradesh went to inspect the site, a high Level Committee constituted by the Government of Manipur chaired by CAF& PD Minister Karam Shyam visited and poured his anger to the villagers asking them if any of them had seen the border constructed by the Myanmar Authority.

He stood firm with a statement that there was no encroachment by the Myanmar Authority to the Indian side. It was in contradiction to the report of the District Administrator of his government.

Well Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of the BJP who is leading the coalition government had stated that the issue needs to be relooked and a procedure is necessary to find out the truth as the matter is between two countries which may spark serious crisis.

And Karam Shyam, a minister in his government from LJP and he flatly denied the villagers and peoples’ allegation about the border pillar being built inside the territory of the state.

Now what seems to be ironical is the statement of the BJP Manipur Pradesh which agreed that the villagers of Kwatha are right.

The new contradiction between the Convenor of the High Level Committee of the state Government and BJP Manipur Pradesh speaks volume.

Is there an unfair game being played as talks about reshuffling of Ministers is major topics among the BJP MLAs?

Is Karam Shyam going to be made a scapegoat?

This is being assumed as Minister Karam Shyam of the BJP has been directed to speak which may face music of the people’s wrath.

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC)’s revelations on the sequence of event regarding the border dispute issue make the matter a clearer picture of what is happening to the border crisis.

Well the MEA statement regarding the border dispute will not be able to convince not only to the people of the state but also to the people across the nation.

The state BJP which is heading both at the center and also in the state make it clear that there is dispute in border pillar No. 81.

In the wake of the recent development over the issue of the international boundary, the statement issued yesterday seems to be an unfair game to the fate of the erstwhile nation (Manipur).

And the same unfair game seems to be loomed large by the BJP Manipur Pradesh which is also heading the alliance government here in the state.