A committee on border issues constituted by the Manipur government in
the wake of public outcry against the possible loss of Indian territory
due to the construction of border fence along Manipur-Myanmar border, is
likely to submit its report to the government on Monday.
Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei had earlier announced that once
the report is received, a Ministerial team will visit the border areas
to make an assessment. But this was unlikely to happen.
Reports said that Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has informed the CLP
members that the Ministry of External Affairs has written a letter to
him not to send the Ministerial team to the border areas. India and
Myanmar are having a cordial neighbourly relationship. Besides, there
has been the legalised border trade. The two countries have been
cooperating in many ways including counteracting the armed movement
along the border. At this juncture the proposed visit of the Ministerial
team will send a wrong signal to the Myanmarese government, it was
pointed out.
Mr. Singh and Mr. Gangmei rightly feel that the NGOs and other activists
who have been agitating all these days for the protection of India's
territory will not take it kindly if the government fails to send a
Ministerial team. Despite objections and demands for the suspension of
the construction works of the border fence till a final agreement is
reached, the personnel of Border Roads Task Force are carrying on with
the construction works under the supervision of Assam Rifles which is
manning the border areas.
The official team led by the principal secretary (Home) Suresh Babu had
visited the border areas on August 26. Mr. Babu drew flaks when he told
reporters that what is being constructed is not border fence but a
security fence. Governor Ashwini Kumar also visited the border areas on
August 27. He assured that the villagers that he would take up the issue
with the appropriate authority.
When the border fence is constructed 18 villages of Manipur will be
affected. Choro Khunnou in Ukhrul district will be left out of Manipur.
The government has not explained why the border fence or the security
fence as the case may be, is passing through almost in the middle of the
18 villages and the other parts of these villages beyond the border
fence will be left towards Myanmar.
Meanwhile, six opposition MLAs who had visited the border areas on
Sunday have demanded a white paper from the government on the
construction of the border fence. The team led by I. Ibohanbi of the
Trinamool Congress visited the border villages and interacted with the
villages on Saturday. The villagers told them that their land will be
usurped. It was reported that the Myanmarese army had started cutting
down trees at Holenphai village for the construction of an army camp.
However police and civil officials rushed there to object.
