Assam, Arunachal MPs appeal for peace after border firing leaves 11 injured

MPs from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on August 13 appealed to residents along the inter-state border to maintain peace and resolve disputes through dialogue, following a firing incident that left 11 people injured.

The appeal came after MPs from the two states met to review the situation along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, where tensions have risen since Wednesday.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Arunachal Pradesh MP Kiren Rijiju, speaking alongside MPs from Assam, said both sides must work together to prevent local disputes from escalating.

“MPs of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh appeal for maintenance of peace along the border. We must live together harmoniously as brothers and sisters and settle any land dispute through peaceful negotiation only,” Rijiju said.

He described the relationship between the two states as one built over generations, rooted in mutual respect and close social ties.

“Through dialogue, we are resolving our differences, and even if every issue does not find a solution, we will continue to move forward on this path. Perhaps our borders are separate, but our hearts are one,” he said.

Rijiju said Arunachal Pradesh was carved out of Assam and that people on both sides share longstanding ties. He compared occasional local disputes to differences within a family, saying they should not be allowed to turn into a confrontation between the two states.

“It was a total misunderstanding. We jointly appeal that whatever happened should be settled harmoniously,” he said.

Rijiju added that he had spoken to the chief ministers of both states and that they were in contact with each other. Senior ministers from the two governments were also visiting the affected areas while discussions continued at the local level, he said.

“We all MPs sat together and discussed the issue. We are always together. Northeast is one family,” Rijiju said.

Tensions rise after firing incident

Tensions escalated along the border after Wednesday's firing in the Bodoti area of Mingmang, where several people from Assam were injured. Reports put the number of injured at 11.

The incident prompted both state administrations to intervene and take steps to prevent further escalation.

The Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), an apex student organisation of Assam's Mising community, subsequently launched an indefinite economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. The organisation demanded action against those allegedly responsible for the firing and called for their arrest.

The blockade disrupted road connectivity and the movement of goods between the two states.

Fresh tension was reported on Thursday from Likabali in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Siang district, where protesters from both sides reportedly confronted each other. Police fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu have also appealed to people to maintain peace and prevent the situation from worsening.