Manipur: Zero compromise on Indo-Myanmar land dispute, assures Kiren Rijiju

IMPHAL | July 1, 2018

Union minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju has said that Indian government will not compromise even an inch of India's land to Myanmar and if any border issue arises, it shall be sorted out after wider consultation with all stakeholders concerned.

He said that the recent Indo-Myanmar border issue with border pillar no.81 will soon be sorted out with involvement of the foreign ministry. He made this statement while responding to a query by journalists in Classic Grande Hotel, before he left Imphal.

He also tweeted in this regard:

Took a review meeting of security situation of Manipur along with CM @NBirenSingh ji and senior officers of Army, Central Armed Forces and State Police. pic.twitter.com/OQHcUDjUmp

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) June 30, 2018

At the same time, the union minister said that there should not be any misunderstanding and conflict concerning the Indo-Myanmar border as there had been memorandum of understanding between the two nations and therefore border pillars have been installed. Subsidiary pillars are further installed only for security purposes, he added.

"The ground reality is, India is not losing land and this should not be an alarming issue" Rijiju reiterated. "I had a discussion with the chief minister and a political delegation will be sent to the spot and do the necessary research" said the minister.

Indo-Myanmar border issue is not a new thing and there are many instances in the past. A high power committee of BJP has been formed recently with Karam Shyam as the chairman to tackle the current border issue at Kwatha Khunou.

The most recent border dispute was brought to light when the deputy commissioner of Tengnoupal district recently released a statement that Manipur has lost around three kilometers to Myanmar with fresh installation/erection of subsidiary pillars at Kwatha Khunou.

India and Myanmar shares 1623 kms unfenced border, out of which Manipur shares 398 km, Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km) and permit a 'free movement' regime to 16 km beyond the border.

According to reports, India has been keen to sign an agreement of streamlining free movement within 16 km along the border, but Myanmar citing domestic compulsions has asked for more time before the agreement is sealed.

Kiren Rijiju was in Imphal for his two days visit. He took a review meeting of security situation in Manipur along with chief minister, N. Biren Singh and senior officers of Army, central armed forces and state police.

The United Committee Manipur, Lainingthou Sanamahi Sana Pung, Manipur PCC, Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena had expressed concern over the border encroachment issue. The UCM and the Manipur PCC had visited the site where the border pillar 81 is located. The villagers there have been complaining that Myanmar has encroached at the border by Myanmar at Kwatha Khunou village where the border base is located.

The Manipur PCC claimed that during its visit, a subsidiary border pillar of Myanmar was found erected at Namjilok which is situated towards a distance of 100 metres from the controversial border pillar number 81 in Kwatha Khunou.

According to the villagers, the said pillar was erected a month back.

Source: Imphal Free Press