Assam-Mizoram Border Row: Police forces agree to maintain cordial relations

Police forces of both Assam and Mizoram have decided to maintain cordial relations posted along the inter-state boundary.

In order to discuss the border issue, the deputy commissioners of five border districts- Kolasib and Mamit in Mizoram, and Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi in Assam met in the Mizoram town of Vairengte on Wednesday.
The meeting was a follow-up to a decision made at ministerial-level negotiations on August 9 in Aizawl.

They also agreed to take steps to ensure that farmers on both sides of the border can continue their agricultural activities without interference.

A wide range of topics was covered during the meeting, which included developing combined efforts to protect forest areas along the border, stop illegal wildlife transportation and hunting, and celebrate the sale of areca nuts grown in Mizoram in neighboring states.

The issue of the ongoing construction of bridges by Mizoram near Thinghlun and Zophai villages along the border was also discussed and it was agreed that higher authorities will be approached to resolve major problems on the matter.

Three districts of Mizoram — Aizawl, Kolasib, and Mamit — share a 164.6-km-long boundary with Assam’s Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar districts.

The long-standing border dispute between the two states stems from two colonial demarcations of 1875 and 1933.

A violent clash took place on July 26 last year when the police forces of the two states exchanged fire near Vairengte leading to the death of six policemen and a civilian from Assam. Around 60 people were also injured in the incident.

On August 9, the two states held a ministerial-level meeting in Aizawl and agreed to maintain peace along the border.

According to a joint statement signed at the talks, both parties agreed to hold meetings of deputy commissioners of bordering districts at least once every two months.

Both sides had also agreed that economic activities, including farming, which have been practiced by the people on either side of the border should not be disturbed and decided to hold the next round of talks in October.

Earlier, Chief Minister Zoramthanga had conversed with his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma over the phone and agreed to hold chief minister-level talks in Delhi either in August-end or early September to resolve the vexed border dispute.