Mizoram govt keen on solving border issues with Assam: Zoramthanga

The Mizoram government is keen on solving the state border dispute with neighbouring Assam through bilateral talks under a conducive atmosphere, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter after a telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister and his Assam counterpart, Zoramthanga said that they agreed to amicably resolve the inter-state border dispute through meaningful dialogue.

“As per telephonic discussion with Union Home Minister and Assam Chief Minister, we agreed to resolve the Mizoram-Assam border issue amicably through meaningful dialogue,” Zoramthanga tweeted.

He also urged the people of Mizoram to refrain from posting provocative messages and misuse of social media in order to de-escalate the present simmering tension.

“In the meantime, in order to prevent any possible escalation of the situation, I request the people of Mizoram to avoid posting sensitive messages and make judicious use of social media platforms,” he said.

Amid the escalating tension between the two neighbouring states, Zoramthanga had on July 30 said that he has strong faith in the Centre and still hope for an amicable solution to the border dispute between Mizoram and Assam with the intervention of the Centre.

He had also said that the Northeast region will be always one and the people of Assam will not be harmed in his state because of the border dispute.

Simmering tension continues to prevail between the two neighbouring states after the violent clash that took place near Vairengte town in Kolasib district on July 26 leaving at least seven people, including six Assam police personnel dead.

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The Centre has deployed around 5 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) to prevent untoward incidents and diffuse tension.

However, both the state governments continue to wage war by making claims and counterclaims and filing cases against each other.

The Mizoram government has alleged that an economic blockade is being clamped in Assam on National Highway-306 disrupting the supply of essential commodities and other goods.

It has also been alleged that railway tracks linking Mizoram were uprooted in at least three locations in Assam.

However, Assam denied that any certain organisation stage blockade in the state.
NH-306 is the lifeline of Mizoram, which links the landlocked state with the rest of the country through Assam’s Silchar.

The Mizoram government had written to the Centre at least two times in three days seeking its intervention to lift the alleged economic blockade.

Police said that no vehicles except security forces have entered Assam since July 26 to date.

Earlier the Assam government had issued a travel advisory to its citizens not to travel to Mizoram.

However, the Mizoram government said there is no restriction on travel and traffic movement to Assam from the Mizoram side.

Both the state governments have instructed concerned authorities to ensure the safety of non-state residents living in their respective states.

No explosives seized on July 26

Mizoram Police on Saturday denied that explosives were seized in the state on Monday, the day a bloody clash took place between police forces of Mizoram and Assam that left at least six policemen and a civilian dead over a border dispute.

The denial came within hours after a news agency reported that National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun  a probe into seizure of  explosive case in Mizoram.

“National Investigation Agency (NIA) starts a probe in explosive case of Mizoram. The agency took over the case from state police on July 29. Explosives were found on July 26,” the agency reported quoting sources in NIA.

Reacting to the reports, Mizoram police said that no explosive were seized on July 26 but on June 21 in Champhai near the Myanmar border and it did not aware of the transfer of the case to NIA.

“No explosives were seized on 26th July . Explosives were seized on 21st June at Champhai. Persons have been arrested in that case. That case is not linked to Assam – Mizoram border dispute. Also, we are not aware of the transfer of the case,” the state police said.

Located in the eastern fringe of the state bordering Myanmar, Champhai town is about 188 km from state capital and about 310 km from Vairengte, the northern fringe of the state where a border clash took place on July 26.

Earlier on June 21, troopers of Assam Rifles recovered large haul of explosive bound for Myanmar near Farkawn village in Champhai district.

The war-like stores recovered included over 1.31 ton of Class II CAT -ZZ explosive powder, 3,925 detonators and 2,000 metres of safety fuse, Assam Rifles had said in a statement earlier.