A letter from the Deputy Commissioner of Kolasib district of Mizoram reached the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi in Assam on Thursday, indicating a fresh eruption of the long-standing border dispute between the two north-eastern states.
“It has been brought to notice that in Pu Lalangaisanga land in Etland where the road connecting Jhum (agriculture) land is constructed by farmers using excavators, the Assam Police went to disrupt their activity and diggers The operator damaged the door and took away the key. In addition, the Assam Police had abducted a JCB operator wearing a commando uniform blindfolded and pointed a gun to his head. He was then dragged into the river, his clothes were torn and death threats were made. His phone and vehicle keys were taken by the Assam Police. This is considered a very serious issue and as of now constitutes a major setback to peace initiatives and may further increase the use of force among the forces deployed around the region,” the letter reads.
The scorching border dispute between the two states turned into a bloody conflict on July 26, when six Assam Police personnel and a civilian were killed and around 80 injured. It shares a border of 164.6 km between Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts of neighboring Assam and Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts of Mizoram. The two states have different interpretations of their territorial limits. Mizoram believes that its border is along an internal line drawn in 1875 to protect the tribals from outside influence, Assam goes from a district demarcation done in the 1930s.
The Hailakandi administration was quick to respond to Mizoram’s letter.
“Assam Police has a border post at Dholai-Khal in Bilaipur and on August 26, central forces stationed at the post witnessed the construction of two posts by Mizoram. The DFO immediately conducted a survey and filed a report to the DC stating that Mizoram has started unauthorized construction in the Assam region. After this DC Hailakhandi immediately wrote a letter to DC Kolasib and I also took up the matter with the Superintendent of Kolasib and reminded him of the agreement between the two governments and requested him to withdraw the forces from the said place. There was no reply from their side. A day before yesterday, on September 1, news came that they had started construction of roads in the area. Since we are on duty, our police reached the area and asked the JCB drivers to stop work immediately. After this the JCB driver backed out and our police came back. It’s such a thing. I categorically deny all allegations of DC Kolasib that there was kidnapping, keys were snatched and so on. Mizoram built a temporary structure at Dholikhal on 26 August which the administration took up with the Mizoram counterpart; Unfortunately, there was no response,” said Gaurav Upadhyay, superintendent of police, Hailakandi, Assam.
This is the third such letter issued by the Kolasib administration after the 26 July conflict.
Mizoram had on August 21 registered a case against the Assam Police for allegedly stealing construction material, while Assam claimed that the material was confiscated as it could be used to build a bridge in its territory. Had been. The complaint was later withdrawn as the seized material was returned. Gaurav Upadhyay said, “Mizoram authorities were building a bridge over a ‘nala’ (stream) at Kachurathal, which borders Mizoram on one side and Assam on the other.”
In mid-August, Mizoram alleged that the Assam Police opened fire on three Mizo civilians along the border of Hailakandi (Assam) and Kolasib (Mizoram) districts, injuring one. According to J Lalthalengliana, Deputy Commissioner of Kolasib district, three people from Vairangte had gone to Atlang Talangpui (Kolasib) to get a “normal supply of meat” from their friend who lived near the border in Bilaipur in Hailakandi district.
Of the 165-km-long Assam-Mizoram border, disputed at several points, Hailakandi accounts for 99.1 km, which it shares with Mizoram’s Mamit and Kolasib districts. There is a dispute on the border after the bloody face-off in Lailapur. In the chronology of events, miscreants from Mizoram had allegedly hurled a grenade at a school, damaging a wall.
Assam and Mizoram on 6 August agreed to withdraw troops from all disputed border areas and work towards lasting peace to defuse the escalating tension between the two sides. Assam withdrew its travel advisory issued on July 29 asking its citizens to avoid its neighboring state.
A joint statement issued by the two governments said that the representatives of the governments of Assam and Mizoram take all necessary measures to promote, preserve and maintain peace and harmony between the two states, especially the people living in the border areas. agreed to do.
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