New Delhi: The central government on Tuesday announced plans to fence the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border with Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS). Reiterating the Narendra Modi government's commitment to build impenetrable borders, Home Minister Amit Shah said that to facilitate better surveillance, a patrol track along the border will also be paved.
“The central government has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border. To facilitate better surveillance, a patrol track along the border will also be paved,” said Shah. He further said that out of the total border length, a 10 km stretch in Moreh, Manipur, has already been fenced.
“Furthermore, two pilot projects of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution. They will fence a stretch of 1 km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Additionally, fence works covering approximately 20 km in Manipur have also been approved, and the work will start soon,” said Shah in ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter).
The ultimate decision to fence the entire India-Myanmar border comes days after Shah has announced in Kolkata that the entire stretch of the border will be fenced “same as India-Bangladesh” border besides ending the Free Movement Regime (FMR) that exists along this border.
It is worth mentioning that following the ethnic violence in Manipur, different central intelligence agencies in their report submitted in the Home Ministry has said that anti-India forces were involved in the violence. The agencies in their report have claimed that different insurgent groups taking the advantage of the porus border sneak into India and carry out subversive activities.
In fact, the Biren Singh led BJP government in Manipur has also been asking the central government to take steps to fence the porus India-Myanmar border. However, several tribal organisations in Manipur and Mizoram have opposed the idea of fencing the border stating that it will “break the people to people” relation between both the countries.
Taking a strong note of the Home Ministry’s decision, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) spokesperson Ginza Vualzong told ETV Bharat that the fencing will go against the sentiment of the people of both the sides.
“We have our own people living on the other side of the border. Tribal people of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland have the same culture and tradition with the people living on the Myanmar side of the border. So, any decision to fence or end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) will go against the people of both sides,” Ginza said.
A delegation of Zo United, a coordinating body which comprises all apex bodies like Kuki Inpi Manipur, Zomi Council, ITLF, COTU, HTC and all tribe councils have come to Delhi to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to appraise him about the present situation of Manipur. The State has been witnessing ethnic conflict between Kukis and Meiteis since May 3 last year.
“Once we meet Amit Shah, we will raise our demand which also includes a political solution to the current conflict,” said Ginza. He said that the delegation will also emphasise the need for the creation of a separate Kuki administration in Manipur.
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