Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 18 2010:
The United Committee Manipur (UCM) while expressing apprehension of losing Manipur land in the border fencing at the international border with Myanmar today said that the body will seek a detail report on boundary pillars from the Prime Minister, Union Ministry of External Affairs, Home Affairs, Survey of India and Central Boundary Commission.
UCM's president, Yumnamcha Jadumani told reporters included among the team of the Committee conducted spot visit at the places where border fencing works are taken up that the decision of taking up the fencing works 10 meter towards the Indian side will amount to lost state land above already lost due to changes in the border pillars.
The UCM team conducted spot visits at the international border between border pillar no.77 to 80 .
During the visit, the fencing work was found taking place 10 meter towards Indian side from the place where the border pillars erected.
As some of the border pillars had already shifted toward Indian side earlier, members of the UCM feel that more land of the state will be lost.
They observed that the process will amount to loss around 10 square kilometer agricultural land of the state.
President of Tamil Sangram Parishad, KBS Maniam who took part in the visit said that the border pillar no.77 located near Customs Station at Lokjao River and pillar no.78 erected near the Madraji Temple had been missing.
Temporary fencing erected by the then BSF personnel to protect their camp areas and for preventing cattle entering the area had led to the lost of the pillars.
The fencing of the BSF had nothing to do with the international border.
But Myanmar authorities had assumed it as the border dug out canal.
Since then Myanmar treated as their land.
The Madraji temple now standing is the clear evidence that the land belongs to Manipur.
The pucca fencing works taken up will put the temple on the Myanmar side.
This step will not be a right one, he went on to observe.
UCM president, Yumnamcha Dilip talking to reporters alleged that India government while taking up the border fencing work did not take care of Manipur land.
It shows that they took lightly the sentiment of the people of the state.
The losing of land at the border is amount to pour oil in the burning fire.
While Pakistani intruded to Indian Control in Jammu and Kashmir, war broke out but when Manipur lost its land in the hand of Myanmar, India government is remaining as silent spectator.
UCM will submit memorandum to the all concern authorities.
If necessary UCM will other like minded bodies and people will go to New Delhi and register strong protest against the move of the government, he said.
The team left Imphal on April 15, before conducting spot visit at the border fencing visited Kwakta village and interacted with the villagers about their problems.
The team also inspected the temple area allegedly occupied by the
Assam Rifles.