Tension Returns along Assam-Mizoram Border over Construction of Huts by Assam Police

GUWAHATI: A year after a deadly border battle between the two northeastern states killed seven people, a tense atmosphere has again gripped the Mizoram-Assam border on Sunday.

A senior Mizo police officer stated that Assam police allegedly built bamboo huts on disputed property near Bairabi town in Kolasib district, leading to tension in the area.

Mizoram and Assam share a 164.6-kilometre border and a status quo is being maintained even as the two states are currently negotiating a solution to the decades old border conflict.

According to Kolasib Superintendent of Police (SP) Vanlalfaka Ralte, Assam police have erected two temporary huts on disputed territory just opposite Mizoram's first chief minister Ch. Chhunga's paddy field. This is the same area, between Mizoram's Kolasib district and Assam's Hailakandi district, where the border skirmish happened in 2018.

However, according to Ralte, Assam police demolished the two cottages on Monday in response to the Mizoram government's request. Chief minister Zoramthanga and home minister Lalchamliana discussed the problem with their Assam counterparts, the officer informed.

A survey in the area by Assam officials was completed last week, according to Ralte.

The SP also stated that he and the Kolasib deputy commissioner informed their Hailakandi counterparts about the construction of the huts and that the location is within the disputed land, where a status quo has to be maintained.

Replying to a query on the matter, Assam officials asserted that they were unaware that it was a disputed area.

"After the huts were removed on Monday, the situation near the interstate boundary is slowly returning to normal," Ralte added.

He, however, asserted his belief that the Assam government was attempting to set up a permanent police base nearby.

The ongoing boundary negotiations between the two states could be hampered by such actions, including the construction of structures along the disputed areas, he continued.

Zoramthanga and Himanta Biswa Sarma , the chief ministers of the two states, met in Delhi last month to discuss the border issue and agreed to continue the current ministerial-level talks, last conducted in Aizawl in August.

The next round of ministerial-level negotiations is scheduled to take place in Guwahati sometime later this month.

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