Mass movement proposed against 'faulty' border fencing
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 01 2013: A day-long seminar on "India's Stand on the Territorial Integrity of Manipur" organized under the aegis of United Committee Manipur (UCM) held at Imphal Hotel here today has unanimously resolved to launch a mass movement against the 'faulty' border fencing being carried along Indo-Myanmar International border in Moreh.

Today's seminar was organised at the backdrop of the border dispute between India and Myanmar where several villages of Manipur have gone to the other side of the border due to the ongoing controversial border fencing, which is being carried out under the supervision of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

The inaugural function of the seminar was attended by retired judge C Upendra and UCM President Yumnam Nabachandra as Chief Guest and President respectively.

Resource persons and moderator participating in the seminar session

RK Ranendrajit, Consultative Committee Member, UCM and H Ibotombi Khuman were also present on the occasion as Guests of Honour.

After serious discussion on the issue, the seminar adopted a number of resolutions which include launching of mass movement against the ongoing border fencing process, to urge the concerned authority to clarify on whether the fencing being carried out is 'border fencing' or 'security fencing', to stop the fencing process until the border dispute is settled, to press the concerned authority to carry out the border fencing in accordance to the International norms, sending missives on the issue to international fora and to endorse responsibility of putting the resolutions into action to UCM.

Speaking on the occasion, C Upendra observed that giving away of a large junk of land of a State to another country without the approval of the Parliament is against the Constitution of India.

As such, giving away parts of Manipur to Myanmar is against the law.

He went on to say that Assam Rifles are not entitled to check the border fencing process.

Their attitude of remaining silent when problems and dispute come up in the border fencing process, and not reporting the matter to the Central Government or the State Government, is indeed an attempt to give away large portion of Manipur to Myanmar.

Asking whether there is any problem in taking parts of Myanmar instead of giving away large areas of Manipur to Myanmar, the retired judge maintained that the Indian Army should have constructed their base camp across the border instead of letting the Myanmarese make their base camp inside Manipur.

He also expressed amazement over the act of the State Government in willingly giving away large junk of our land to Myanmar when the British demarcated the actual boundary of the State before leaving Manipur.

"We need to ponder over this issue as it is a very serious one", he exhorted.

RK Ranendrajit stated that although Manipur has been a part of India for the last 60 years, the right to life of the people and the territorial integrity of the State is still a 'disputed' matter.

He asserted that under no circumstances, Government of India would be taking the matter of losing large part of Manipur to Myanmar seriously.

But in matters of losing India's land to Pakistan, Indian authority had been so seriously that even wars were fought and lives were sacrificed.

Under such circumstances, it is time that the people of Manipur come up with something solid to safeguard the territorial integrity of the State.

The seminar was divided into two sessions.

The morning session was moderated by Prof N Joykumar of Department of History, Manipur University while Dr L Chandramani was the moderator in evening session.

Among the resource persons, social activist Dr Dhanabir Laishram, who spoke on the topic of "India's double standard on the territorial integrity of Manipur", opined that a strong and intense mass movement is a must here so as to alert the Government of India on the issue.

He asked for a bold and concerted and democratic form of agitation by the people of Manipur to get the attention of New Delhi on the issue.

RK Ranjan, 'senior visiting fellow', Geography Department of Manipur University observed that in this globalised world focus on the nitty-gritty of border lines has become weak.

He, however, added that, "But maintaining the correct boundary lines is important" .

He also said that boundaries have been affected whenever there occurred historical event or incident and reiterated, "But reality should not be distorted" .

RK Ranjan was speaking on the topic, "Boundaries of Manipur and its problems and issues" .

Also speaking in the seminar was Hareshwar Goswami, a writer and social activist, who pointed out that border dispute with Myanmar (Burma) has been there since 1867 and stressed the need on the part of the Government of Manipur to present a clear white paper on the issue to the public.

Prof Nabakumar, while speaking on the topic, "A new turn in the Indo-Myanmar relationship in the light of India's Look East Policy," presented a detailed scenario over the development taking place in the region in recent time.