Synopsis
The Mizoram administration has put forth a proposal for official discussions with Assam in early April to tackle the long-standing border disputes spanning 164.6 km. This move aims to foster dialogue and find resolutions to the contentious issues affecting both northeastern states.Key Takeaways
- Mizoram proposes official talks with Assam in April.
- Discussions aim to resolve a 164.6 km border dispute.
- Previous ministerial talks have not yielded significant results.
- The border conflict has historical roots dating back to 1972.
- Both states express commitment to peaceful resolutions.
Aizawl, March 10 (NationPress) The government of Mizoram has suggested conducting discussions at the official level with neighboring Assam in early April to address the disputes over the 164.6 km-long border separating the two northeastern states, as per officials' statements on Monday.
An official from the Mizoram government indicated that they have proposed to the Assam government that talks take place in Guwahati during the first or second week of April to tackle the long-standing boundary issues.
According to him, following the official-level discussions, there could be further talks at the ministerial level.
"The proposed official-level meeting is crucial to sort out the technical and contentious matters prior to structured ministerial discussions," the official remarked.
Ministerial-level dialogues between Assam and Mizoram occurred in Aizawl on August 9, 2024, where both state governments reiterated their commitment to uphold peace and stability along the disputed boundary. However, the fourth round of ministerial discussions last August concluded without making notable progress on the disputes.
"The previous ministerial-level meeting (in August last year) fell short due to inadequate groundwork during the official discussions. It is essential to conduct official-level talks before the fifth round of ministerial discussions to achieve meaningful outcomes," the official stated.
The ministerial meeting between the two northeastern states took place in Aizawl on August 9 last year after a gap of 21 months and was the first meeting since the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, took power in Mizoram in 2023.
After the August 9 meeting in Aizawl, Assam Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora, who led his state's delegation, stated that the discussions were positive and both states were dedicated to amicably resolving the border dispute.
Mizoram's Home Minister K Sapdanga, who led his state's delegation, expressed that they were "very optimistic" about settling the lingering border issues.
The Mizoram Home Minister earlier mentioned that following the decision made during the third ministerial meeting in Guwahati in November 2022, the state government has already submitted a list of 62 border villages to the Assam government that fall within Mizoram's territory.
The districts of Mizoram, namely Aizawl, Kolasib, and Mamit, border Assam's Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi districts. Amid the protracted border dispute, the border region experienced its most severe violence on July 26, 2021, when police forces from Assam and Mizoram exchanged fire in a disputed area near Vairengte village on National Highway 306, resulting in the deaths of six Assam Police personnel and numerous injuries.
Mizoram asserts that 509 square miles of the reserved forest, designated in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) 1873, lies within its jurisdiction. Conversely, Assam considers the border illustrated on a map prepared by the Survey of India in 1933 to be its current boundary.
The border conflict originated in 1972 when Mizoram, previously a district of Assam, became a Union Territory, and the boundary between Assam and Mizoram was vaguely defined under the North-East Areas Reorganisation Act, 1971, without any definitive ground demarcation.
