Political parties demand re-survey of Indo-Myanmar border

Imphal: All major political parties and various social organisations on Saturday demanded immediate halt of the ongoing construction of fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur until a proper re-survey of the borderline is done.

Spokesman of the `Committee on Protection of Land in Border Fencing` (CPLBF) Brojendra Ningombam said they had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh yesterday demanding immediate intervention of the state government in the present construction of border fencing as it would affect more than forty villages in state`s Chandel and Ukhrul district. Ningombam demanded a joint re-survey of the borderline particularly near the border town of Moreh in Chandel district by Indian and Myanmar authorities and fix the boundary of Manipur and Myanmar based on historical documents adding that representatives of the committee who included village chiefs of the border areas should be invited to join the demarcation of the international borderline. Reports from the border town of Moreh and surrounding villages said if the ongoing construction of fencing by Border Roads Organisation was not stopped, not only parts of Manipur territory be ceded to Myanmar but not less than forty villages would be included in the neighbouring country. Major political parties including Manipur People`s Party (MPP), CPI, JD (U), Trinamool Congress who had sent their representatives to the border villages to check the fencing demanded immediate halt of construction of border fencing until the settlement of the issue by both countries. A spokesman of MPP said they would launch agitations till the border fencing issue is settled. Social organisations and political parties alleged that village chiefs were being lured huge sum of money if they did not disturb the construction of border fencing. Chief Minister Ibobi Singh had earlier said the state government had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to initiate steps for joint re-survey of the Indo-Myanmar borderline in Manipur with Myanmar authorities at the earliest. PTI