55km of India-Myanmar border fencing completed, says Manipur home minister

AYEYARWADDY TIMES September 3 Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said on Wednesday in the state assembly that 55 kilometers of the 398-kilometer India-Myanmar border have been fenced. He explained this in response to a question from Congress MLA Ranjit Singh regarding public concerns over reports of a proposed land exchange between India and Myanmar. He stated that 55 kilometers of the 398-kilometer border, from border pillar number 32 to 130 in Manipur, have been fenced, and the area from pillar 75 to 79 in the Moreh region is the most sensitive. He further said that the construction process has been delayed due to difficulties in transporting construction materials, and the aim is to complete the border fencing by 2028. Regarding the reports of land exchange with Myanmar, he said that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not yet informed the state government of anything. Govindas said that they understand the public's unwillingness to accept any matter that encroaches on the state's borders, and the public will be informed before the central government makes any decision. He admitted that Manipur has suffered greatly from weapons, drugs, and illegal immigrants due to the insecurity of the border. Opposition members questioned the delivery of justice for the kidnapping and murder of women and children in Jiribam, the bombing of Thronlaobi, and the attack that killed four Naga nationals in the past two years. He said that most of the cases have been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) due to a lack of trust between the Kuki-Kachin and Kuki-Naga communities resulting from regional conflicts. He explained that since the conflict began on May 3, 2023, 9,647 cases have been recorded, with 3,020 cases under investigation, and many cases have been transferred to the NIA and CBI. Reference – Hindustan Times