Aizawl: ZPM Thalai, the youth wing of the main opposition party in the state, Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Wednesday asked the state government to evict Assam police personnel, who are allegedly camping at Mizoram territory near Vairengte town on the state border with Assam.
A statement issued by the youth wing alleged that several Mizo farmers from Vairengte, who practice farming at the Mautui zau area near Vairengte town are being restricted by the Assam police from entering their farmlands.
It also alleged that the Assam Police was issuing identity cards to the Mizoram farmers.
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“It is very unfortunate that the Mizo farmers are being controlled, restricted and issued ID cards by Assam police in their own lands. The incident revealed the incompetency of Mizoram home minister,” the youth wing said in the statement.
The youth wing further alleged that Assam police had been camping in the area since the beginning of this year and destroyed betel nut plantations belonging to Mizo farmers.
It urged home minister Lalchamliana to take steps to ensure that the Assam police personnel are evicted from the area.
Meanwhile, Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) John Neihlaia said that the ZPM youth was misinformed about the current situation.
He said that the representatives of both Mizoram and Assam governments had met on March 7 to discuss the shifting of the Assam police camp and to ensure free movement of Mizo farmers in the Mautui zau area.
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The meeting, which was held under a cordial environment, agreed that Assam police would shift its base at a hill beside an LP school near the Assam boundary, he said.
When Assam police raised the question that they would not be able to differentiate between the farmers and persons, who casually enter the forest, the meeting decided to issue Identity cards to the bonafide farmers, who practice farming or rice cultivation at the Mautui zau area and such ID cards will be issued by a Sub Divisional Officer in Vairengte, he said.
The IGP said that the meeting also agreed that a list of farmers or workers, who will be issued ID cards, will also be forwarded to the Officer in Charge of Dholai police station in Assam for their perusal.
During the meeting Assam representatives assured that Mizo farmers would not be disturbed in the area, he said.
Neihlaia further said that a list of the farmers at Mautui zau area is being collected by the SDO (civil) office and ID cards would soon be issued to the farmers.
Mizoram shares a 164.6 km long inter-state boundary with Assam.
The boundary dispute between the two northeastern states is a long-standing issue, which stemmed from two colonial demarcations in 1875 and 1933.
While the Mizoram government accepted the 1875 notification as its actual boundary, the Assam government on the other hand said the demarcations made under the 1933 notification were its constitution boundary.
The border dispute took an ugly turn on July 26 last year when police forces of both states exchanged fire at the disputed area near Vairengte town on the National Highway 306 leading to the death of six policemen and a civilian from Assam.