Imphal, July 23: Indian villagers claimed about intrusion by Myanmarese to Indian Territory in Manipur state is in the mess as Govt. of Myanmar officially made a complaint to New Delhi regarding setting up of a new village by Indian villagers by encroaching 200 meters inside Myanmar territory between Border Pillar No. 82 and 83.
According to the complaint made by the Myanmar authority, the newly set up village is called N. Satang. The Myanmar authority demanded the Indian authority to remove all the structures established at the area by Indian National.
Following the compliant made by the Myanmar authority, Ministry of External Affairs Government of India has directed the state government to commission a spot enquiry of the said area and ordered to submit a report on or before today (23/7/2016). Even though complaints from the Indian Villagers of Manipur about intrusion by Myanmar to Indian Territory were not considered important, the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India is considering this matter as “serious and urgent”.
The issue will be discussed in depth in the 20th National level meeting between India and Myanmar, which is scheduled to hold on July 26 and July 27 in New Delhi.
Manipur shares a 398-km border with Myanmar. In the last couple of years the Indian villagers inhabiting along the Indo-Myanmar has been urging the central government authority to stop the border fencing as they alleged Myanmar authority shifting Border Pillars at various places inside Indian Territory.
In June 2014, the border issue hit headlines of various newspapers after soldiers from the Myanmar army tried to open a camp in Hollenphai, 4 km south of Moreh police station and 114 km from Imphal. Myanmar authority claimed the area to be their territory.
Following strong agitation towards state government inaction, which was later, supported by various civil society organizations including ICHAM, a high level political party’s delegation including Home Minister of Manipur Gaikhangam visited the spot allegedly encroached by Myanmar authority. Following the visit the construction of the border pillar was halted for some period but again without having any consultation with the state government, the fencing constructed work resumed again after a team belonging to the survey of India took stock of the site. The matter about ‘State government’ being not informed was conveyed when villagers of the border area once more started complaining about the development to the state government authority.
Interestingly, the complaint by the Indian villagers of Manipur at Indo-Myanmar border was never taken as “serious” like the one that the Myanmar authority complaints.
