Mizoram awaits response from Assam on boundary dispute claims

Aizawl, 3 June (Zoram News):  Mizoram government stated on Thursday that it is still awaiting a response from the Assam government regarding the claims submitted by Mizoram in connection with the inter-state boundary dispute. Mizoram had submitted its claims on the state boundary back in February.

An official from the Mizoram home department explained that a survey was conducted along the border, and the claims were submitted as agreed upon during a meeting held in November of the previous year. It was mutually decided that Assam should provide a response by April or May. However, Mizoram is yet to receive any reply from their counterparts in Assam.

The official further added that the date for the next round of border talks has not been determined yet.

During the border talks held on November 17 of the previous year, both states agreed that Mizoram would provide a list of villages, their areas, geospatial extent, ethnicity of the people, and other relevant information within three months to support its claims.

It was also decided that regional committees would be set up from both sides to examine the claims and work towards an amicable resolution of the longstanding border issues.

Mizoram and Assam share a 164.6 km long border, and the boundary dispute between the two states has persisted for a long time.

The dispute escalated in July 2021 when police forces from both states clashed at the inter-state boundary, resulting in the tragic deaths of six policemen and a civilian from Assam. Over 60 people were injured during the violent clash near Mizoram's Vairengte village, which is in the disputed area.

Since then, Mizoram and Assam have engaged in several rounds of talks, with the commitment to maintain peace along the boundary and resolve the dispute through dialogue. However, progress on resolving the issue remains pending, awaiting a response from the Assam government.