Assam, Mizoram hold ministerial-level discussion, sign joint statement on resolving border dispute between two states

Aizawl (Mizoram): The Assam and Mizoram governments signed a joint statement on Tuesday after a ministerial-level discussion in Aizawal and Mizoram to take forward the process of resolution of the boundary dispute between the two states. According to the statement, 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. "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.

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The next meeting between High-Level delegations of two states will take place at Guwahati in October this year where issues and claims will be deliberated in detail.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.

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.

According to the proposed recommendations for the 36.79 square km of land, Assam will keep 18.51 square km and give the remaining 18.28 square km to Meghalaya. Notably, the long-standing land dispute was sparked in 1972 when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam. The border issues came as a result of different readings of the demarcation of boundaries in the initial agreement for the new state`s creation.