People's dialogue studies border fencing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 19 2013: A people's dialogue programme on the issue of border fencing was held today at Manipur Press Club under the aegis of Manipur Press Club.

Speaking at the gathering, Abjiast Seiyo, a resident of Satang village located close to Indo-Myanmar border said that border pillars erected along Manipur-Myanmar border do not remain constant but change their position from time to time.

Abjiast Seiyo who is also president of the Eastern Maring Organisation said that Satang village is located between BP 81 and BP 82 and is exclusively inhabited by Marings.

The border pillars were erected beyond the neighbouring Namjetlok river.

Myanmar villagers in their efforts to divert water from Namjetlok river to their agricultural fields once offered pigs to Satang village.

Now the border pillars have been erected on the side of Manipur.

Members seated on the dais

Erstwhile BP nos 81 and 82 were changed to BP nos 17 and 18 and re-erected on the side of Manipur by Myanmar authority.

Position of the newly erected border pillars placed Namjetlok on the side of Myanmar, Abjiast Seiyo said.

Altogether 12 persons representing different political parties and social organisations spoke at the people's dialogue programme.

The programme was moderated by Prof H Jayentakumar and senior journalist AK Sanaton.

Majority of the speakers maintained that the ongoing border fencing work should be put on hold until the unclear border lines are demarcated properly.

ICHAM president N Rajendro while remarking that political parties have been talking about their border from their own perspectives and languages, stated that they would launch different modes of agitation in case political parties could not come to a consensus by December 10 .

Advocate Khaidem Mani said that the issue could have been tackled at a satisfactory level if there were good governance or vibrant opposition.

Trinamool Congress general secretary Th Inaocha said that a team of Trinamool Congress MPs would come to the State on November 25 and collect a detail report about the border row.

After obtaining a detail report, the MPs would raise the issue in Parliament in its winter slated to begin from December 5 .

Prof Tiken of BJP maintained that BJP would not go together with Congress party if the Government does not admit its folly in tackling the issue.

Nonetheless, BJP would do what it ought to do, he added.

MPP president N Sovakiran said that Chief Minister O Ibobi's actions contradict his own words.

He reminded that the Chef Minister openly pledged that not even an inch of land belonging to Manipur's territory would be handed to any other country.

RK Rajendra, MPP president N Sovakiran and UCM advisor H Ibotombi graced the programme as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

At the end of the dialogue programme, convenor (of the programme) H Nabashyam declared that MPP would launch a mass campaign to the effect that the ongoing border fencing work is suspended.