mizoram: Mizoram Home Minister apologizes for clashes on Assam-Mizoram border | Popgen Tech

Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana has apologized for the clashes along the Assam-Mizoram border in Lailapur in which six police personnel and a civilian were killed.

On July 26, 2021, there were clashes along the Assam-Mizoram border that left seven people dead and several others injured. The Union Home Ministry had to intervene.

Lalchamliana who was in Guwahati to hold the Ministerial level meeting between the Assam and Mizoram Governments on the disputed border issue on Thursday said, “In the past when I met Assam minister Atul Bora, I expressed my apologies and sorrow for the loss of precious lives and this time too. I repeat my apologies with sorrow. I hope that such incidents do not occur between the states or any other state in Northeast India. These incidents are unfortunate and uncalled for. We must ensure that these incidents never happen again.”

Mizoram Home Minister and Assam Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora attended the meeting. In a joint statement both sides stated that the Mizoram Government will provide the list of villages, areas, geo-spatial limits, and ethnicity of the people and other important information within three months to support the claims that can be examined by putting standing Regional Committees. from both sides to an amicable resolution of the vexed border issues. Government of Assam will extend full cooperation wherever sought.

Both sides agreed to abide by the resolution outlined in the Joint Declaration of August 5, 2021 signed in Aizawl. Both sides agreed to continue their determination to maintain peace and harmony along the Inter-state border among the communities living on both sides with a view to strengthening the long-standing ties.

The high-level delegation from Mizoram expressed that there was great agitation among the areca nut farmers in Mizoram due to the problems they were facing in transporting their produce to Assam and other parts of the country. Both sides agreed to refer the issue to their respective Chief Ministers to evolve an amicable solution. Both sides also agreed to continue a sustained zero tolerance policy against the transportation of smuggled arecanuts from other countries.

On September 21 this year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga in New Delhi to resolve the long-standing border issue. In a one-on-one meeting held at Assam House, both the Chief Ministers reviewed the ministerial level talks held in Aizawl on August 9 this year. A ministerial delegation led by Assam Minister Atul Bora went to Aizawl to hold talks on resolving the border issue.

Earlier, Assam and Mizoram agreed that the economic activities including cultivation and agriculture practiced by the people on the border of the two States shall not be disturbed but allowed to continue regardless of the administrative control currently exercised by any State in these places. Forest Regulations and after informing the concerned Deputy Commissioners.

Assam’s Barak Valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi share a 164.6-km long border with three Mizoram districts of Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit.