Govt inspection, an act of fooling public: CPLBF
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Moreh, August 26 2013: Expressing astonishment over the remarks of Principal Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu, who is the Chairman of Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing Committee (IMBFC), when he said that the "The process going at present is not border fencing but security fencing to control cross border terrorism", the Committee on Protection of Land in Border Fencing (CPLBF), Manipur, has denounced it as nothing but an act of fooling general public.

Talking to media persons in connection with the inspection visit of the Government appointed Committee to the disputed border areas, Brozendra Ningomba, Convener of CPLBF, stated that though the inspection visit is appreciable, it appears that the Committee is only trying to fool the people of the State.

"The visit of the Government appointed committee is only to inspect the border fencing being carried out along Indo-Myanmar boundary in Moreh and not to identify the actual international boundary", he pointed out, while ridiculing that the official team has come to praise and encourage the works of the Assam Rifles and the BRTF, and nothing more than that.

Brozendra said that the issue over the border fencing being carried out inside the territory of Manipur without proper demarcation of the boundary came to light after various CSOs of the hills brought up the matter to the Information Centre for Hill Areas of Manipur (ICHAM).

However, it is very unfortunate that Dr J Suresh Babu has termed the ongoing border fencing as security fencing and failed to see the loss of Manipur's land to Myanmar from this so-called security fencing.

"If, what Dr Suresh Babu has said is true, then would he also say that the fencing being carried out right in the middle of our villages, is being done from the security point of security in the State?", Brozendra questioned.

The Government appointed high-powered committee led by Dr J Suresh Babu did not try to find out the reality behind the border dispute arising in Govajang and Haolenphai by interacting with the villagers but only went away satisfied with the inputs provided by the Assam Rifles, which is very unfortunate, Brozendra said, while demanding that the concerned authorities should stop the fencing process until demarcation of the actual boundary even if it is only security fencing.

The border fencing should be carried out after a survey jointly by the Manipur government, Indian government and the Myanmar authorities.

The survey should also be accompanied by members of CPLBF, experts who have full knowledge on the history of the boundary and the indigenous people settling along the border area, Brozendra further demanded.

He also said that the people of Manipur should be made known the length of the boundary fencing which is to be constructed and the traditional boundary of India and Myanmar within a month's time starting from today, failing which IMBFC would take up intense agitations along with the people.

Abjiast Seiyao, President, Eastern Maring Organisation, Chandel, who was also present on the occasion, pointed out that 60 percent of 872 miles long Indo-Myanmar border is demarcated by water and the remaining 40 percent by land.

So, the assertion of Dr J Suresh Babu that there are only nine border pillars which are under dispute was misleading.

There are a number of border pillars namely border pillar number 87, which is erected in two different places; border pillar 81 and 82 which are being erected within Indian territory, etc, he said.

Thongkhongam Mate, President of KSO, Moreh Block; D Rouwaithang, President of Rural People's Development Federation; N Rajendro, President of ICHAM and members of Kuki Chiefs' Association, Moreh Block were also present during the press conference.

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