Manipur stares at territory loss, Delhi looks on
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 28 2013: Even as a diplomatic war is going on between India and China after Chinese troops reportedly intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India is totally silent so far on the issue of border fencing along Manipur sector of Indo-Myanmar border which is leaving out large tracts of Manipur's territory on Myanmar side.

With the twin objective of checking drug smuggling and cross-border movement of insurgents, border fencing work between border pillar numbers 79 and 81 covering a distance of 10 Kms along Indo-Myanmar border near Moreh was taken up by the Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India since 10 years back.

Incidentally, Manipur and Myanmar share a 398 Km long international border.

As the Government of India took up the border fencing work, Myanmar lodged a protest about the location of zero point.

Subsequently, the Government of India decided to construct border fence 10 Kms inside the Indian territory from the international border line.

To the left of the border fence which has come up is the territory of Manipur

Following reports about Manipur losing large tracts of its territory on account of border fencing, a joint team of ICHAM, KSO Moreh Block, Rural People Development Federation, Eastern Maring Organisation, HTC and media persons conducted a spot assessment for two days.

The border fence which is being constructed from border pillar number 79 near Moreh Gate No II, Muslim Basti would cut apart Govajang village right in the middle.

Two-third of the village and 11 houses would be put across the border fence, said village chief Thangkhopao Kipgen.

One Lethang Kipgen conveyed about Assam Rifles personnel saying that villagers who reside across the border fence would be treated at Myanmar nationals.

"But we are Indians", Lethang said.

The villagers maintained that the border fence is being constructed 50 to 100 metres away from the traditional or natural boundary which means a big territorial loss to Manipur.

The border fencing work would affect many outlying villages like Govajang, Santang, L Gamnum, Lam-long Khunou, Wakshu, Rilram Centre, Kharou Khu-llen, Leibi, Chaktong, Maringthel, L Molphei, N Nungkam and Kwatha Khunou.

In addition, many people would be displaced from their native villages.

Most of these villages do not have direct road connection to Moreh.

The villagers come to the Moreh town and go back after crossing Myanmar territory.

Once the border fencing work is completed, these villages would be cut off from Moreh town permanently but the villagers were never given prior information about the border fencing work, said former president of the Rural People Development Federation Th Thomsing.

Saying that they have been paying hill taxes for the past many decades, Thomsing asked if they are not Indians.

The villagers said that Myanmarese army entered their villages very often.

KSO Moreh Block president H Thengkhongam Mate villagers who share close filial relationship would be separated for good once the border fencing work is completed.

The border fence would stop the villagers from Indian side to visit their own folks living on the Myanmar side.

ICHAM spokesperson Brojendro Ningomba demanded that the border fencing work should be reviewed.

All the organisations which took part in the spot assessment maintained that would launch protest movements if the Government fails to review its decision of putting up border fence at Moreh.

Although 31 battalions of Assam Rifles are deployed for guarding international borders of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram and when Myanmarese army intrude into the Indian territory, they only remain mum.

Whenever Myanmar protested against any Indian activity at the international border, the Government of India always backtracked on the ground that Myanmar is a friendly neighbour.