{"id":121823,"date":"2021-07-28T19:00:22","date_gmt":"2021-07-28T13:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=121823"},"modified":"2021-07-28T18:55:08","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T13:25:08","slug":"assam-mizoram-border-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/assam-mizoram-border-dispute\/","title":{"rendered":"Assam Mizoram Border Dispute &#8211; Explained, Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h5><b>Introduction<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The violent clashes on the Assam-Mizoram border in Lailapur on July 26th are a result of the continuing confrontation between the two states. The clash came days after a meeting of the Union Home Minister with chief ministers of the Northeastern states, held in Shillong. In this meeting, it was reiterated that inter-state border issues would be resolved amicably.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mizoram has accused the Assam Police of entering its territory, while videos of armed young Mizo men in battle fatigues and helmets were reported from the Mizoram side, which reported no injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cautious and calibrated intervention by the center is desired to restore peace and normalcy in the region, along with significant support from the two-state governments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Confrontations in the Past<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There have been confrontations over territory in the northeast region in the past. For instance, at least 28 policemen were killed in clashes on the Assam-Nagaland border in June 1985.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The NSCN\u2019s (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) demand for a Greater Nagaland or Nagalim. Which includes parts of Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. It has been a major roadblock in the resolution of the Naga issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manipur has had its share of inter-state disputes resulting in destructive economic blockades.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Assam-Mizoram border has been restive, particularly since last year, necessitating the deployment of paramilitary forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background-color: #f2e9f1;\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\"><strong>Read more<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/why-north-east-is-more-vulnerable-to-earthquakes-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why North-East is More Vulnerable to Earthquakes? \u2013 Explained, Pointwise<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5><b>Current Scenario of Assam-Mizoram border dispute<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In October 2020, skirmishes developed between residents close to the disputed border between Assam\u2019s Cachar and Mizoram\u2019s Kolasib districts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These centred around the encroachment of reserve forest lands and illegal constructions, which were taken down by the Assam Police. However, the land over which such constructions happened has been claimed by both states.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growing hatred later resulted in the July 26th violent confrontation between police and residents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five policemen and a civilian from Assam were killed in the Mizo border town of Vairengte in clashes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121838\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121838\" style=\"width: 247px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-121838 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/naga-mizo-issue.png?resize=247%2C259&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Assam Mizoram Border dispute\" width=\"247\" height=\"259\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121838\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Indian Express<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h5><b>Reasons behind the <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Assam-Mizoram border dispute<\/strong> <\/span><\/b><b>and Inter-State Border Tensions<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>First<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><b>fault lines created by Britishers in boundary demarcation are still unaddressed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They created boundaries as per their commercial interests. In the process, sensitivities of local communities regarding land were either ignored or suppressed.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The border dispute can trace its origins to the demarcation of Lushai Hills from the Cachar plains by the British in 1875. The British had drawn the boundary in consultation with Mizo chiefs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in 1933, the boundary between Lushai Hills and the then princely state of Manipur was demarcated. It said the Manipur boundary began from the trijunction of Lushai Hills, Cachar district of Assam, and Manipur state.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Mizos do not accept this demarcation and point to the 1875 boundary, which was drawn in consultation with their chiefs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the decades after Independence, states and UTs were carved out of Assam based on the 1933 line.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes Nagaland (1963), Arunachal Pradesh (UT 1972, formerly NEFA), Meghalaya (UT 1972), Mizoram (UT 1972).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Second<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, there has been a proliferation<\/span><b> of political conversations<\/b> <b>that target migrants and \u201coutsiders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d. This shrinks the space and scope for fluid borders and fixes the identities of people as per the region, to realize its cultural and economic potential.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year, volunteers of a Mizo student body started putting up checkpoints reportedly on the Assam side of the border.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They alleged that the descendants of the Lushai tribes were being denied their rightful home through increased encroachment by the Bangladeshi immigrants.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These checkpoints even prevented Assam government forest officials from carrying out their routine movements.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Third<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the events point to a <\/span><b>failure of the constitutional machinery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, empowered to de-escalate tensions at the border.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The presence of central paramilitary forces should have helped maintain the peace, but it didn\u2019t happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, both the states are ruled by allies of the central government. However, the political leadership failed to preserve peace in the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fourth, Economic competition for land, engendered by a lack of non-farm jobs across the Northeast region, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is also enhancing bitterness among states<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fifth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, other issues that complicate the situation on the border include the <\/span><b>transportation of illegal drugs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that travel via Mizoram to Assam and other parts of the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Implications of Violent conflict<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Augments Trust Deficit:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It hinders the probability of Interstate cooperation in the future due to enhanced trust deficit. This is testified by competing claims on the issue.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assam says Mizoram police fired on Assam cops with light machine guns. Mizoram says that Assam police overran a police duty post in its territory.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Increases Hatred in masses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Such instances tend to increase feelings of animosity between the residents of Mizoram and Assam.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Inclination towards China<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: China will be watching these fights with relish. The state which feels more betrayed can be manipulated by China for its vested interests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Domino Effect<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: If prudent action is not taken and violators are not duly punished, then such clashes will be seen on other disputed borders in the northeast region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Steps taken to solve the dispute<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An agreement between Mizoram and Assam was signed to maintain the status quo in the no-man&#8217;s land in the border area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2006, SC ordered a three-member Local Commission headed by a retired SC judge to demarcate all the boundaries between Assam, Nagaland, and Arunachal. It also attempted mediation between 2010 and 2013 \u2013 all to no avail.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In mid-July 2021, the Union home secretary had convened a meeting of chief secretaries of both states and the concerned police chiefs.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the meeting, all issues were discussed with the help of maps, photos, videos, and satellite images of the region.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A roadmap was agreed upon to maintain the status quo and withdraw forces away from the border.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Suggestions<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no sure-shot and quick solution possible to the border disputes between various states without a <\/span><b>spirit of give and take, and a civic engagement brokered by the Union government.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this to happen, governments should, first, try to stop violence of any kind and restrain partisans engaging in such activity in their respective States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The whole stretch of reserve forests has to be freed of encroachments from either side.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state leaders must nurture the peace, put in place institutional mechanisms to prevent breakdowns, and negotiate a way out of long-standing disputes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Home Ministry must ensure that the Assam-Mizoram border situation should first be subject to de-escalation and then return to the status quo.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Constitution\u2019s mechanisms for addressing inter-state disputes should be duly used.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This includes activating an Inter-State Council (Article 263) or asking the Supreme Court to adjudicate (Article 131).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, a <\/span><b>time-bound court-monitored commission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involving local communities in joint demarcation exercises should be announced.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sectarian tribalism has been the bane of the North-eastern States, with underdevelopment acting as a catalyst in complicating knotty issues over land and other issues in the region. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Northeastern states must realize that they share a collective destiny. They should be sensitive to and accommodative of each other\u2019s interests so that the entire region can prosper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Sources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/blogs\/toi-editorials\/simmering-northeast-centre-must-constitute-a-new-boundary-commission-to-resolve-the-regions-internal-border-disputes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Times of India<\/span><\/a>, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Express (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/assam-mizoram-border-dispute-violent-clashes-7425501\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 1<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/editorials\/assam-mizoram-violence-border-dispute-7425513\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Article 2<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/assam-mizoram-border-dispute-fault-line-from-history-flares-up-in-the-present-7423884\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Article 3<\/a>), <a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/Home\/ShareArticle?OrgId=GFP8QGRPO.1&amp;imageview=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction The violent clashes on the Assam-Mizoram border in Lailapur on July 26th are a result of the continuing confrontation between the two states. The clash came days after a meeting of the Union Home Minister with chief ministers of the Northeastern states, held in Shillong. In this meeting, it was reiterated that inter-state border&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/assam-mizoram-border-dispute\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Assam Mizoram Border Dispute &#8211; Explained, Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10322,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,9],"tags":[8623,212],"class_list":["post-121823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","category-public","tag-federal-structure","tag-gs-paper-2","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":12,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1698340194},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10322"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121823"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121823\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}