MSU on border fencing
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, August 16 2013 : The Maring Students Union (MSU) said it is surprise to learn the government of India's and the government of Manipur's initiatives to fence the Indo-Myanmar border without the knowledge and consent of the indigenous peoples living at the area.

According to MSU, there have been events of boundary demarcation between India and Burma since the Yandaboo Treaty of 1826.Another boundary demarcation was done in 1834 between the British India and the king of Ava which was again resurveyed in 1881 by Col.Johnstone. It also said, again in 1967 agreement, the Union of India and Union of Burma had withdrawn the boundary line ceding large part of our land to Burma.

"All these boundary demarcations were done without the knowledge and consent of the Marings indigenous people who have been living and safeguarding the land since the ancient time.

The Maring people have their understanding and traditional boundary lines with others.

The government of India and the government of Manipur continue their step-motherly treatment attitude to the Maring people while declaring the Yangoupokpi Lokchao as a wildlife sanctuary in 1989 which is inhabited by the Maring people.

So, the arbitrary international boundary line between India and Myanmar in which large chunk of land has been lost due to different events of boundary demarcation and the declaration of Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Santuary which are acts of human rights violation and discriminates the rights of indigenous peoples," the Maring students' body pointed out.

The MSU then said the Maring people have enough proofs of existence since ancient time at the present Maring Hills (Yomma Range by Mating) and the vast valley (Washaphai/Mungringphai/Kaangmaangphai in Maring) which the outsiders called it as Kabo Valley.

"Therefore, the MSU would like to ask the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India to respect the rights of the indigenous people if to talk about international practices and the ground level facts of boundary lines and we urge the concern authority to withdraw the order of declaration of the wildlife sanctuary in the Maring area and also to conduct a re-survey of Indo-Myanmar boundary line after taking the consent of the Maring people who have been protecting the land since time immemorial without which MSU will not entertain any plan regarding the boundary line demarcation and border fencing," it cautions.

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