SHILLONG, July 29: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) which comprises of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU) and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), has expressed its sense of anguish and disbelief at the recent border conflicts along the Assam-Mizoram boundary which is condemnable as it had taken a huge toll on human lives, injuries to scores of people and destruction to people’s property.
“The clashes that erupted in the border of these two states sent shockwaves throughout the entire region as news from ground zero keep spreading like wildfire. The fragile situation along the Assam-Mizoram border is a reminder of how vulnerable security of border residents can be when such conflicts arise,” the NESO stated.
“Past incidents along the borders of Assam-Meghalaya, Assam-Nagaland and Assam-Arurachal Pradesh also illustrates the pain and sufferings of the border residents. Many lives were lost from the Meghalaya side during 2010 in the border clashes between Meghalaya and Assam and the situation is also not conducive along the Assam-Nagaland and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border,” the banner students organisation has stated.
The NESO once again urges upon all State Governments to be committed to solve long pending boundary disputes once and for all and if necessary, the Central Government should be a party in these dialogues and NESO on its part will continue to encourage people-to-people contact and along the border areas.
The NESO has call upon all the indigenous people that this issue is not an ethnic issue but of border dispute in which the respective State Governments are duty-bound to solve.
“ If a solution is arrived whereby borders will be properly demarcated with a unanimous settlement, then peace will usher between different states and the people residing along the borders can live without fear and in harmony amongst themselves,” the statement said.
