Violating Aug 5 joint agreement, Mizoram constructing village in disputed area; Assam files written complaint 

On July 26, 2021, the Mizoram Police Forces opened fire at Assam Police personnel at the interstate border. While the land was well within the constitutional boundaries of Assam, Mizoram claimed it to be the land belonging to the Mizos. They raised a clarion call to vacate the land and when Assam Police Personnel along with heads of Cachar district’s Civil administration didn’t, they opened fire from the hilltop. Hiding behind the bushes, the Mizo forces used the height advantage to their benefit and killed six Assam Police personnel and 43 others were shot to be hospitalised.

The bloodshed became national news and both the governments were under the scanner. The Ministry of Home Affairs had to intervene and chief secretarial level meetings were held. On August 5, 2021, a delegation from Government of Assam reached Aizawl and a meeting was held at the Aijal Club in the capital of Mizoram. Ministers from Assam, Ashok Singhal and Atul Bora went along with top officer Gyanendra Tripathi. The meeting was nothing but an eyewash. It lasted for about 15 minutes and officer Tripathi read out the agreement that was signed by both Assam and Mizoram. That piece of paper means nothing as Mizoram has violated every sentence written on it. Astonishingly, the Government of India and Government of Assam have been cheerleading it.

There were four very specific points that both Assam and Mizoram agreed to sign. But the latter didn’t follow a word. It was agreed that the Central Forces will guard the disputed area and both state forces will retreat. Assam Police personnel retreated but the the Mizo forces remained stationed. While it was agreed that Status Quo will be maintained and the state forces won’t send troops for patrolling the bordering areas, the Mizo Forces along with local residents continued to man the borders. And now, Barak Bulletin is in a position to confirm that a village spread across three kilometres with more than 40 houses has been built in the disputed area.

What is earmarked as Reserve Forest Areas, the zone where the construction is being carried out, according to Assam is in Lailapur while according to Mizoram is in Vairengte. Senior Police officials from Mizoram are also building houses in that zone. 50 labourers from various parts of Cachar District go there every morning and perform the construction work.

Superintendent of Police, Kolashib, Valnalfaka Ralte says, “This is a construction that was going on since a long time. It got disrupted because of the firing but again resumed as planned. This work is happening under PMAY and so, there is no question about the legality of the work as it has been commissioned by the government itself.”

If sources are to be believed then the Cachar Forest Division has submitted a written complaint about the construction work that is being carried out.

The area is heavily guarded by armed Mizo citizens. They stand with dao, slingshots and don’t allow pedestrians including journalists to pass. When asked about their identity, they say they belong to the Village Council are on security duty. How can the Mizoram Police allow the civilians to man the area with weapons and as the SP says, if these are constructions commissioned by the government, why is media’s visit a problem.

Sources in the newly formed village inform that some of the Myanmarese refugees are also relocating to this village. “I don’t think there is any Myanmarese refugee settling at that zone. Locals from Vairengte area are only building houses there,” said the SP.

Where is the newly formed village? In Lailapur of Cachar district or Vairengte of Kolasib district in Mizoram is something that remains for the Ministry of Home Affairs to settle.