In another significant step towards solving their border dispute, Assam and Mizoram governments on Tuesday signed a joint statement after a ministerial-level discussion in Aizawl and Guwahati. Both states have agreed to promote and maintain peace to prevent any untoward incident along the borders. Also, the Deputy Commissioners of the bordering districts of both states shall meet at least once in two months. Hence, the next meeting between High-Level delegations of two states will take place in October, where issues and claims will be deliberated in detail.
“Both the States reaffirm the Joint Statement of 5th August 2021 in letter and spirit. Both the States agreed to promote and maintain peace and to prevent any untoward incident along the borders, the Deputy Commissioners of the bordering districts of both States shall meet at least once in two months,” the statement reads.
Both the States agreed that economic activities including cultivation and farming which have been practised by the people along the borders of the two States shall not be disturbed but allowed to continue regardless of the administrative control presently exercised by either State at such locations subject to Forest Regulations and after informing the Deputy Commissioners concerned.
Assam Minister Atul Bora said that today’s meeting will go a long way in finding amicable solutions and convey a positive message to the people living on either side of the border. “We are hopeful that today’s meeting will go a long way in finding amicable solutions and convey a positive message to the people living on either side of the border. I thank CM Dr Himanta Biswa and Honourable Mizoram CM Zoramthanga for their keenness to resolve border issues,” Bora said in a tweet.
Following today's meeting of Assam-Mizoram boundary, signed a joint statement with Hon'ble Mizoram Home Minister Shri Lalchamliana. pic.twitter.com/tx7SLhNUUm
— Atul Bora (@ATULBORA2) August 9, 2022
Assam shares a 164.6 km long boundary with Mizoram and many conflicts have taken place in the last few years. In August last year, the representatives of both states held talks in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl and they agreed to maintain peace and resolve the inter-state boundary dispute through dialogue.
Last year on July 26, six Assam policemen and one civilian were killed in a fierce gun battle between the two states and then onwards, tensions heightened between Mizoram and Assam over the boundary dispute. At least 50 people were injured in the incident and a total of six companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had been deployed at the site.
Earlier in March, Assam and Meghalaya governments had signed a historic agreement in the national capital to resolve their 50-year-old pending boundary difference. The governments of Assam and Meghalaya had come up with a draft resolution to resolve their border disputes in six of the 12 “areas of difference” along the 884-km boundary.
