Incursion into Manipur by Myanmar army ; UCM seeks immediate Govt intervention
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 02 2017: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has sought immediate attention of the Central Government and the State Government with regard to incursion into Manipur (India), harassment of Hollenphai villagers by Myanmar army and the existing border with the neighbouring country.

A team of UCM went to Hollenphai village, Tengnoupal district yesterday and interacted with the villagers apart from making a spot inspection of the areas encroached upon and occupied by Myanmar army.

Interacting with Hollenphai villagers, UCM president E Johnson decried that neither the Central Government nor the State Government has been paying due attention even though there have been repeated incidents of incursion into the State's territory and harassment of Indian citizens by Myanmar army.

Incursion into Manipur by Myanmar army ; UCM seeks immediate Govt intervention

Informing that both the Government of India and the State Government have been apprised in black and white about repeated incursion into the State's territory by Myanmar army, Johnson asserted that the issue should be resolved without any delay at the highest level between the two countries.

The UCM team found border pillar number 76 re-erected at a new spot closer to Manipur's territory.

A canal four feet in width was also found dug anew near BP 76 on the side of Myanmar's territory.

Myanmar army have been occupying a ground earlier used by Hollenphai villagers as grazing field and they are also constructing a water reservoir.

With both the Central Government and the State Government paying no attention to such repeated incursions and occupation of the State's territory, the neighbouring country has been continuously encroaching into the Indian territory, Johnson said.

After removing a wooden fence erected along the Indo-Myanmar boundary, Myanmar army have constructed a new road.

Moreover, saw mill materials/components confiscated by Myanmar army from Hollenphai village on March 4 have not been returned yet.

Given this grim situation, UCM would submit a representation to the State Government and urge the Indian authorities to ensure all the areas of Manipur occupied by Myanmar army are vacated and all the structures built inside Indian territory are dismantled, Johnson said.

UCM would make necessary preparations to launch mass movements, if necessary.

At the same time, another representation would be sent to the Government of Myanmar informing them about incursion and occupation of Manipur's territory by their military forces.

The silence of both the State Government and the Central Government amounts to gifting away the State's territory willingly, he decried.

Hollenphai village chief Lakholun Haokip lamented that spot inspection of the border row by Government officials and different civil society organisations have so far yielded no positive result.

If they cannot act against the repeated incursion by Myanmar army, it would be better for them not to come to the international border and the border areas, he said.

Nonetheless, he demanded that a police outpost be opened at Hollenphai so as to check harassment of villagers by Myanmar army.