MPs, MLAs slammed over loss of state's territory
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 17 2023: Amid the hue and cry over the loss of vast tract of the state's territory to Myanmar in Tengnoupal district, the state is losing substantial size of land to the neighbours in Kamjong district as well, said the UCM.

Taking serious note of the situation, United Committee Manipur (UCM) has drawn attention of the union minister of state for external affairs Dr RK Ranjan for taking up swift action to protect the state's boundary while cautioning of launching intense public movement if no initiatives were taken up in this regard at the earliest.

A joint team of UCM and media persons visited the disputed site in Kamjong district recently during which, the team found border pillar number 6 and 8 (old numbers) newly installed on the side of Manipur around 6 km from the actual boundary.

As a result, the original border pillars are now located inside the 'Myanmar territory'.

According to S Choro village headman Kaphungyui Asare, there are still three stone pillars at the actual location of BP 6, which mark the traditional boundary between Manipur and Myanmar.

However, the government is now installing the new pillars around 6 km into the state's territory from the actual boundary, thus carving out a vast portion of the state's land, he said.

Both the Lok Sabha MPs of Manipur had visited the village earlier but they did not inspect the border pillars.

The government has been ignoring the boundary of the state as well as the village, which has been safeguarding the boundary for ages, the village headman decried.

K Asang Khullen headman P Hungyo also informed that border pillar number 8 has been assigned a new number (102) and erected inside the state's territory at a distance of more than 6 km from the actual/traditional boundary.

The traditional boundary in the area was shaped like a triangle but it has been straightened after the installation of the new BP.

They are not aware if the new BP was installed by Myanmar authority or Indian authority or by both, he said while pointing out that the carved out portion after the installation of the new BP has been the farmland of the villagers for ages.

He welcomed the UCM team for visiting the village and assessing the border pillars and expressed hope that the committee will take up the issue and pursue the same with the government.

He also decried the two Lok Sabha MPs for their inaction in this regard despite their assurances during their visit to the village.

He further informed that the Myanmarese authority never honours the traditional boundary and they often sneak in and cut down trees.

Myanmarese army also frequent the area to take control and threaten the villagers.

However, they are not coming nowadays, which may be due to the present unrest in the neighbouring coun try, he said while urging the government to resolve the boundary issue at the earliest.

UCM president Joychandra Konthoujam said that people of the state are already upset over the loss of state's boundary to Myanmar due to the realignment of border pillars.

Though not known widely before, the loss of boundary in Kamjong district will stir up the sentiment of the people more.

UCM is happy to learn that the villagers are trying to preserve the actual BP site by erecting three stones after the Myanmarese army destroyed the old BP, he said and demanded the Government of India to resolve the issue and uphold the traditional boundary, which was agreed upon by both countries.

He also drew attention of the union MoS for external affairs Dr RK Ranjan, who is an expert in boundary issue, and urged him to resolve the row during his tenure.

This is the right moment for resolving the issue as the external affairs minister is a native of the state, he said and also welcomed the remark made by Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba in the parliament over the boundary issue and his appeal to halt the border fencing until the boundary issue is resolved.

Reiterating that UCM will never compromise the state's boundary under any circumstances, Joychandra said that the committee will mobilise the public and launch a public movement unless the union MoS takes up necessary initiatives in this regard at the earliest.

UCM general secretary Santa Nahakpam condemned the 60 MLAs of the state for remaining silent on the issue of boundary and demanded them to take a resolute stand for protecting the state's boundary.

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