Manipur-Myanmar border row MHA clarifies, lays down some points
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 08, 2013: Apropos the news item published under the heading, "Manipur stares at territory loss, Delhi looks on" on July 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs has claimed that the report was written and published without checking full details on international practices and the ground level facts.

A press release issued by the MHA Additional Director General (Media) clarified that as far as the State of Manipur is concerned, Boundary Pillars 66, 76, 78, 89 and 90 to 94 (9 Boundary Pillars) remain unsettled with Myanmar.

Similarly, border pillars 79 and 81 cannot be settled as Pillar No.78 remains unsettled.

This was brought to the notice of the Myanmar authorities in a meeting held in Myanmar on June 19 and 20 June 2013 and they were requested for early joint survey for settlement of these boundary pillars.

They are yet to revert back on this.

As far as fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border is concerned, it has been made 150 yards away from the International Boundary, but at places where it was not possible to do so, the fencing has been done almost close to Zero Line with the consent of Bangladesh.

Spot assessment along Indo-Myanmar border near Moreh (border pillar #79 and #81 covering a distance of 10 Kms)

A similar situation obtains along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan where the distance of the fence is sometimes much more than 150 mtrs.

This results in farms and sometime an entire village lying across the fence.

In all such cases gates are provided for the villagers to carry out their normal activities and the gates are opened at fixed hours in the morning and remain open till certain fixed hours in the evening.

The International Boundary remains inviolate as the Boundary Pillars are not touched.

The International practice is that 10 mtrs across either side of the border is considered to be a 'no construction zone'.

In the case of the border with Myanmar, the policy of 10 mtrs of 'no construction zone' has been decided to be followed though contractors some time increase this distance for the convenience of construction.

However, instructions have been issued that as far as possible the construction of fencing shall not be before the 10 mtr 'no construction zone'.

Without the settlement of the International Boundary along with Boundary Pillars referred to earlier, it is not possible to arrive at a definitive conclusion that a particular village or land is going to be lost.

For the benefit of readers, it is further clarified that the on-going fencing work is restricted to only 10 Kms for the present and no further work will be undertaken unless all the Boundary Pillars are finally settled through joint inspection by the National Survey Authorities of the two countries as well as the Survey & Settlement Officers and Staff of the State.