Present location of BP 82, 83 cannot be valid: UCM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 13 2021: United Committee Manipur (UCM) president Joychandra Konthoujam has said that the present location of the Indo-Myanmar Pillar No 82 and 83 cannot be valid as they not at the original site.

A team of UCM along with media persons inspected the present position of BP No 82 and 83 on October 11 and 12 and came to light that both pillars have been relocated well into the Manipur side.

The team also found that the traditional pillar mark on Kheuh tree at Nongkam Satang village was destroyed by fire and the village chief was tortured by Myanmar (Burmese) Army for trying to reinstate the pillar to its earlier position.

The team also came across that BP 82 was erected around 500 metres inside India than the earlier position at the foothills.

Regarding the inspection, UCM president Joychandra said that dispute over BP 82 surfaces even before dispute over BP 79 to 81 is yet to be settled.

As per boundary agreement signed between Government of India and Union of Burma on March 10, 1967, demarcation of land between the two neighbouring nations must be made based on traditional boundary.

Apart from this, it was mentioned in the agreement that BP 82 should be at the foothills but it was found 500 feet inside India.

One big reason for this was that 12 Assam Rifles team erected the pillar in the absence of villagers and stakeholders, Joychandra said, and cautioned of public outrage over the border pillar issue.

Despite availability of maps and documents of earlier Manipur as well as after merger with India, both the Government of India and Manipur government remain silent when Myanmar encroached upon vast area and UCM considers this nature bf Indian and state leaders as timid.

It is the responsibility of the present generation to safeguard land protected by forefathers and future generation will dishonour the present generation if it happens to let lose land and hence the government must take steps to avoid this eventuality, Joychandra said.

Villagers inhabiting along the border have been protecting border pillars since ancient times and some of them had even landed in Myanmar jail but border villagers had little hope of regaining lost territory as government did not shoulder its responsibility or take up necessary actions.

External affairs minister (MOS)) RK Ranjan had assured UCM that a team of department of border cell will inspect and verify BPs in October month to resolve dispute and UCM is hopeful that the assurance would be translated into action soon, Joychandra added.

Nongkam Satang village authority chairman TK Kothil told media persons that Myanmarese army tried to destroy the traditional border pillar mark on a Kheuh tree but he tried to reinstate the mark by putting up a concrete pillar.

He also said that the existing BP 82 is not at its actual position and it was earlier located at the foothills.

The matter had been apprised to all concerned repeatedly but no action has been initiated till date, he added.

UCM general secretary Ngangom Deba Meitei, who also joined the visit, said that governments of India and Manipur should clarify to the people of Manipur whether they follow or not the border agreement signed with Burma in 1967.He also asked if people of Manipur will accept the continuous 'gifting' away of its vast territory to the neighbouring country.

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