Manipur-Myanmar dispute is over 35-km long boundary
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 19 2013: The border dispute between Manipur and Myanmar after Manipur's merger with the Indian Union is over 35-kilometre long boundary, as mentioned in the Cabinet Memorandum of State Home Department in 2001 .

The memorandum mentioned that the Manipur-Myanmar border comprises Border Pillars No.32 to 48 in Churachandpur district, Border Pillars No.49 to 89 in Chandel district and Border Pillars No.90 to 130 in Ukhrul district.

Moreover, the border dispute between India and Myanmar is over 171-kilometre long boundary.

The controversial boundary of 137 kilometres falls within Lohit sub-sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

The demarcation of 1472 kilometres out of the total 1643 kilometres of Indo-Myanmar boundary has been completed.

The demarcation was done by the Joint Boundary Commission formed by the two neighbouring countries after signing an agreement in 1967 .

The controversial Manipur-Myanmar boundary falls between Border Pillars No.64 and 68 at Tuivang (Molcham area), Border Pillars No.75 and 79 at Tamu (Moreh area) and Border Pillars No.88 and 95 at Choro Khunou.

Manipur-Myanmar dispute is over 35-km long boundary

The controversies emerged after the border pillars fixed along Manipur-Myanmar boundary were found deviated from the actual map.

The State government had even taken a resolution to set up a Cabinet Sub-Committee on December 17, 1999 to settle the border dispute.

Subsequently, the State Home Department vide Order No.1/6(1)/97-H(PT) formed the Cabinet Sub-Committee as per the resolution of the State government on January 6, 2000 .

The Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee was the then Deputy Chief Minister Dr L Chandramani, while the five members of the Committee were Ministers of that time namely IFCD Minister L Nilachandra, Revenue Minister Elangbam Kunjakeshwar, Higher Education Minister M Kumar and Science and Technology Minister Morung Makunga.

MLA Hangkhanpao was also in the Committee as a Co-opted Member, the memorandum mentioned.

The first meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee was held on January 7, 2000.However, it failed to take any definite resolution and hence the Committee did not make any recommendation to the State Cabinet.

The State Home Department again issued an order for the formation of a Cabinet Sub-Committee on July 29, 2000 to look into the controversial area of Kabow Valley Sector, for which the report was to be submitted within two months to the State Cabinet.

The Committee was headed by Dr L Chandramani, while the seven members of the Committee were former Ministers M Kunjo, Prof Gangmumei Kamei, Hankhanpao, Th Bira and Konjanmang Haokip along with Chief Whip Jaton and Commissioner (Home) of State government.

The first meeting of the newly constituted Committee was held on August 7, 2000 .

The Committee again failed to take a resolution.

The State government has been neglecting the border issues for quite a long time.

The present government has also not taken up any concrete measure to address this sensitive issue of border dispute.

There is an apprehension that the border issues might be settled by the Indian government with Myanmar without any consultation with the State government resulting in the loss of large portion of the State to Myanmar.