A clarion call to solve border dispute between Assam and other Northeastern states

The creation of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh from Assam has sparked several border issues. Assam has 8 bordering districts with Meghalaya, 3 bordering districts with Mizoram, 4 bordering districts with Nagaland and 8 bordering districts with Arunachal Pradesh.

The longest-running border dispute in the North East is between Assam and Nagaland, which began soon after Nagaland became a state in 1963 followed by several major clashes between the two states along the border in 1968, 1979, 1985, 2007 and 2014.

Mizoram and Assam relatively had a peaceful relationship except in 1994 and 2007. The major border row between the two was on 26^th July, 2021 which led to the intervention of the Union Government of India.

The territorial dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh started soon after Arunachal Pradesh got statehood in 1987 when certain territories was transferred from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.

The New Delhi-based Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) on August 9, 2021 reported that 157persons were killed, 361 injured, 65729 people displaced in the past 42 years due to border dispute between Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. 136 deaths due to Assam-Nagaland border dispute, 10 in the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh dispute, 7 in the Assam Mizoram Dispute and 4 in the Assam Meghalaya dispute. Of the injured 184 due to Assam-Nagaland border dispute, 16 in the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh dispute, 143 in the Assam Mizoram Dispute and 18 in the Assam Meghalaya dispute. The worse violence in the Assam-Mizoram border is on 26th July, 2021 where 6 Assam Police Personnel were killed and 100 civilians and security personnel injured.

Meghalaya border dispute with Assam emerged even before Meghalaya got statehood that is in 1971 when it challenged the Assam Reorganization Act of 1971 suggested by Churachand Committee that recommended handing over of Blocks I and II present day Karbi Anglong District to Assam. Meghalaya claimed that Block I & 2 is part of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills district as notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) and as per the survey maps of 1872 and 1929.  

Assam had been against developmental work in the border villages of Meghalaya and Assam ranging from road construction (7^th November, 2019), erection of electrical poll, construction of footpath under MGNREGA scheme, construction of schools, anganwadi centres and others. Some of the border related issues between Assam and Meghalaya include Assam police intruded into Mawsikar village and plan to erect boundary pillars near Kyrdum on 1^st August but it was stopped by villagers. Assam claimed land at Solairtek area under West Garo Hills and implement MGNREGA scheme there as per the report on August 1, 2021. Assam police stop the erection of electrical poll at Iongkhuli village installed by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and manhandled a Member of District Council (MDC) Charles Marngar on 26^th July, 2021 which is under Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. Assam Police arrested two cowboys, below 12 years of age, from Mawsikar village, West Khasi Hills District in July, 2021.   Assam Police wanted to make a police outpost at Umwali village on February 20, 2020 which is still part of Meghalaya and villagers came out to protest and foil the plan. Assam government stopped construction of a police outpost at Umru village, Ri Bhoi District on April 5, 2018. Assam police stop construction of sericulture project at Madan Umwang, Ri-Bhoi district on August 2, 2017. On 23rd August, 2021 three youths from Umlaper villager were beaten up by Assam police. On 25th August, 2021 HYC, pressure groups from Meghalaya wanted to visit Umlaper village to condole the villagers of Umlaper but they were stopped by Assam Police, Nepali and Karbi people and during that clash one DySP from Meghalaya was injured due to stone pelting. 

On August, 2015 Assam Government took control the land at Mallangkona and Mallang Siminaguri area belonging to West Khasi Hills District. People of Block-I comprising of Mowluber Skap, Shnong Thymmei,  Mowjem, and Madan Nongkylla along with people from Tum Tum, Khatkasla and Psiar under West Jaiñtia Hills District live in fear each day because Assam police interfere their lives. Langpih is one of the major border disputes which started since 1974. In 2010 four citizens of Meghalaya had lost their lives when Assam police opened fire at Langpih in West Khasi Hills district prompting the two-state governments to take up talks.

To resolve the border dispute several dialogues between Meghalaya and Assam had been going on however nothing notable has been achieved so far. On 23^rd July, 2021 Shri. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam and Shri. Conrad Kongkal Sangma, Chief Minister had agreed to a proposal for a ‘give and take policy’ to amicably resolved the long pending border Issue. The row between Assam and Meghalaya at Ïongkuli Village on 26^th July, which happened on the same day that triggered the border violent clash between Assam and Mizoram led to an issue that called for a quick intervention from the Union Government of India. The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah after discussion with the Northeastern states Chief Ministers suggested to solve the long pending border dispute between Assam and other Northeastern states by demarcating boundaries through satellite imaging. Umiam-based North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), a joint initiative of the Department of Space (DoS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) was given the task for scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite imaging and mapping.

Amit Shah mooted the idea of the scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite mapping that it will amicably and permanently solve the border disputes in the Northeastern states as new boundaries would be drawn.

Umru village in Block II under Ri-Bhoi district, Langpih, Umwali, Mawsikar, Mallang Siminaguri, Aradonga under West Khasi Hills District, Block-I, Tum Tum, Khatkasla and Psiar under West Jaiñtia Hills District are some of the disputed areas along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Under West Khasi Hills the area of dispute are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim and Langpih, in West Garo Hills the areas of intrusion include Majhipara and Solairtek are in Phulbari. During the 2^nd Meeting to solve border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya held on August 6, 2021 at Guwahati, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma identified six areas of dispute comprising of Upper Tarabari, Gazang Reserve Forest, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilangkata and Ratacherra involving West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya and Kamrup, Kamrup (Metropolitan) and Cachar districts of Assam. The more complicated areas of dispute are Langpih, Borduar, Nongwah, Matamur, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, and Khanduli.

To speed up resolving border issues the government of Meghalaya has appointed three committees headed by a cabinet minister one for West Khasi Hills, one for Ri-Bhoi and one for Jaintia Hills. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said that internal border issues should be solved in a peaceful manner and urged Northeastern states to cooperate with the Centre as the central government is keen to permanently resolve the internal border dispute.

On August 9, 2021 MLA of Dispur, Atul Bora provoked fury among the Khasi and Garo inhabitants of Pillangkata by claiming the village for Assam. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Chief Minister on August 9, 2021 said that the four broad criteria have been formulated to solve the border dispute they include “historical perspective, continuity, administrative convenience and Loyalty or will of the people, which is the most important factor”.

Which method of solving boundary dispute will be better; scientific interstate boundaries demarcation through satellite mapping as mooted by Amit shah or ‘give and take policy’ as agreed by Sarma and Sangma? Will the opinion of the people residing in border areas be taken into consideration? Will the Political Parties, Pressure Groups or NGOs from both the States accept the new boundary delineation or will they stick with historical records and claims?

The questions might seem difficult to answer but one thing the government of Meghalaya need to be firm that before the state celebrates 50 years of statehood, the long pending boundary issues should be resolved. The government need to take and extra mile, Political parties and pressure groups need to give full cooperation and people should be willing to solve the border dispute permanently and build up a friendly relationship among the Northeastern states.