Mizoram set to resume border talks with Assam

AIZAWL: Mizoram is desirous of resuming border talks with Assam to resolve the decades old border dispute with the neighbouring state at the earliest, an official said.

The meeting of the newly reconstituted boundary committee chaired by home minister K. Sapdanga on Thursday deliberated the boundary issue and expressed desire that the border talks with Assam, which has been suspended due to the assembly polls in November last year, be resumed at the earliest, the official said.

The meeting also expressed its desire to resolve the border dispute and establish peace with Assam, he said.

Sapdanga, who headed the boundary committee, informed the meeting that the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government headed by chief minister Lalduhoma gives priority to the protection of the state boundary and restoration of peace among the people especially those living in the border areas.

He said that efforts should be made to find ways, which is both acceptable for the two states to resolve the border dispute.

The home minister also lauded the Mizo National Front (MNF) government, which preceded the ZPM, for its steps towards finding solution to the border dispute with Assam.

The meeting was attended by Environment, Forest and Climate Change minister Lalthansanga, who is also the vice chairman of the boundary committee, state chief secretary Renu Sharma, Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Shukla, representatives of all parties and NGOs besides experts and home department officials.

Three Mizoram districts-Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit- shares 164.6 km border with Assam's Cachar, Karmganj and Hailankandi districts.

The border dispute between the two neighbouring states is a long standing issue, which mainly stemmed from two colonial demarcations.

Mizoram claims that 509 square miles area of the inner line reserved forest, notified in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) 1873, falls within its territory, while Assam, on the other hand, regarded the map prepared by the Survey of India in 1933 as its constitutional boundary.

Vast areas within the inner line reserved forest now fall under Assam. Similarly, a certain extent of the area, as per the 1933 demarcation, is now on the Mizoram side.

There is no ground demarcation of boundaries between the two states.

The border dispute between Mizoram and Assam had taken an ugly turn in July 2021 when police forces of the two states exchanged fire at the inter-state boundary, leading to the death of six policemen and a civilian from Assam.

More than 60 people were also injured in the violent clash that took place in the disputed area near Mizoram’s Vairengte village.

The two states have held several rounds of talks, including three ministerial level meetings since August 21 and agreed to maintain peace along the boundary and resolve the dispute through dialogue.