After ten days of the border faceoff between Assam and Mizoram that left six Assam policemen dead and over 45 injured, Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Minister for Irrigation and Urban Development Ashok Singhal along with GD Tripathi, Commissioner & Secretary of the Border Protection and Development reached the Lengpui airport of Mizoram on August 5. The much-awaited visit of the Assam delegation at Aizawl Club in the capital city was to break the ice and initiate an ambience for a truce and future dialogue.
With the rise in the number of Covid cases in the hill State almost 800 cases a day, curfew in Mizoram has been extended till August 7. The picturesque city of Aizawl wore a deserted look, however, the spirits on both sides were high after a week of a stiff standoff.
The Mizoram delegation was represented by Home Minister Lalchamliana and Mizoram Home Secretary Vanlalgaihsaka. The meeting went on for 20 minutes discussed several aspects of the possible solution to the decade-long inter-state border problem before issuing a joint statement.
“We came as a team on the instruction of the Chief Minister and Mizoram Home minister is with us. We had a high-level discussion with the home secretary of Mizoram. As you know an unfortunate incident took place in Lailapur of the Cachar district. Many organisations from Assam imposed an economic blockade. Both the government discussed with the MHA and instructed both the States to resolve the issue amicably. As you know, before this discussion a few days back a chief secretary-level talk was held in New Delhi. Whatever we discussed today is a positive start. We are hopeful that this crisis shall end through constructive dialogues. Assam Chief Minister has emphasized in a resolution of the border crisis amicably since he took the oath of office,” expressed Atul Bora, Minister Assam.
In a joint statement signed by Atul Bora and Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana with the State home secretary, both the government agreed to take forward the initiative taken by the State governments in consultation with MHA to remove border tension and find a lasting solution to the dispute through discussions. Both parties agreed upon that no State forces — forest or police — will be deployed to patrol or any other purposes at the areas of conflict and facilitating the deployment of neutral central forces.
“Mizoram CM Zoramthanga had expressed his resolve to settle this issue on social medium on several occasions. It’s due to the intention of both the CMs this meeting could materialise and in a very cordial milieu, we discussed various issues. We insisted on talks not only at the chief secretary level but in district levels led by DC or his subordinates in the bordering districts on which Mizoram to consent. We hope that problems pertaining to these districts shall be solved. The dispute is about border demarcation, we speak of constitutional boundary and they stick to history. Congress is solely to be blamed for this. Had they resolved the border issue at the very inception of Mizoram statehood, I cannot say when but Assam CM has the political will and so does the Mizoram CM. The talks happened and the issue shall be resolved don’t know when,” added the state agriculture minister.
Assam and Mizoram share a 164-km long boundary where 52 km is with Cacahr, 12 km with Karimganj and 100 km with Hailakhandi. Assam minister also hinted towards a possible lifting of its travel advisory to Mizoram.
“We have agreed verbally that there should be regular monthly meetings at district level bordering each other. Whenever problem crops we hope that they will solve the issue amicably,” said the Mizoram Home Minister.
Six companies of the Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) have been deployed along the Assam-Mizoram border to monitor the situation. Earlier Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla chaired a meeting of the chief secretaries and police chiefs of Assam and Mizoram in a bid to restore peace along the inter-state border between the two States.
The Assam government has issued an advisory asking its citizens to avoid travelling to Mizoram. In addition, the advisory asks Assamese people living in Mizoram to “exercise utmost caution”. The Assam government also made it mandatory for all vehicles travelling to Mizoram through Assam to be inspected.
It needs that both Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sanga shall meet in Guwahati on August 6 afternoon for the second round of talks on border issues between both States. The first round was on July 23 in Shillong. Assam and Meghalaya have 12 border points of dispute. In the Shillong meeting, the Meghalaya government claimed 12 disputed places belonging to the State. Meanwhile, the Assam government also justified with documents, saying those places belong to Assam.
After a detailed discussion, both the Assam and Meghalaya governments decided to adopt a pragmatic approach to the solution and resolve the issue in a phased manner. Thus, both States agreed to discuss all 12 places one by one and review claims. If possible, both the chief ministers will visit all the 12 sites.
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