Imphal/New Delhi: Myanmarese troops had made an attempt to raise a defence post and fencing close to the undemarcated boundary along Manipur prompting India to take up the issue and push for a joint border working group.
A senior Home Ministry official told PTI on Wednesday in New Delhi that all activities had taken place inside Myanmar territory and there was no incursion into Indian land.
Construction materials were dumped for erection of fencing and the camp by Myanmar close to the border in Manipur’s Chandel district near Moreh town.
Following a request of Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, the Centre took up the issue with Myanmar which halted all construction activities.
“We took up the issue with Myanmar government and it has been resolved amicably,” the official said. According to officials, Myanmarese army, last week, had initiated the ground work for setting up a temporary platoon base camp at Holenphai village, located 3 km south of Moreh police station close to Border Pillar number 76.
As per the understanding, there cannot be any construction within 10 metres from the boundary, they said. Assam Rifles has, in a communication to the Home Ministry, said that Myanmarese troops have not entered Indian territory.
“We have stopped the felling of trees by the Myanmarese troops on BP (Border Pillar) 76 for the construction of a platoon headquarter because this BP is not yet demarcated… but otherwise Myanmarese troops have not entered Indian territory,” it said after the Myanmarese activity came to light last week.
Myanamar’s move was objected by local village chiefs and district officials as they thought Manipur would lose its territory if the neighbouring country goes ahead with the construction, official sources said in Imphal. India has now asked Myanmar to set up a Joint Border Working Group (JBWG) to address the issue of demarcation of border between the two countries.
Though the proposal to set up JBWG has been there but after the recent incident, India has reiterated the need to set up the group to resolve the issue, official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin said. This was conveyed through India’s Ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhyay. (PTI)
