A meeting to initiate a process of peaceful negotiation following the violence that was witnessed along the Assam-Mizoram border last month was held in Aizawl on Thursday, with the attempt to find a solution to the long-standing boundary dispute between the two north-eastern states. Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18 after the talks, Assam minister Ashok Singhal said, “The district commissioners of both sides have decided to meet at least once a month to resolve the issues at the district level itself.”
The initiative to de-escalate tensions was taken by Assam chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma after the intervention of union home minister Amit Shah who asked both sides to resolve all issues amicably.
A smouldering border dispute between the two north-eastern states erupted into a bloody conflict on July 26 as six Assam Police personnel and a civilian were killed in a turf tussle while around 80 people were injured.
Assam’s agriculture minister Atul Bora and irrigation minister Singhal along with bureaucrats, border protection officials, etc, visited Aizawl on Thursday and held discussions with representatives of the Mizoram government.
Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana and land revenue and settlement minister Lalruatkima represented the state government in the meeting along with a few officials.
“Any job well begun is half-done,” Singhal told CNN-News18. Today was the first meeting and we made a good amount of headway…more meetings will be required to make sure that we find a long-term solution.”
A joint statement was later released by both sides, stating that Assam and Mizoram have expressed their willingness to achieve an amicable solution to the border problems and Thursday’s meeting had paved the way for settling the boundary issues through dialogue for lasting peace between the two neighbouring states.
Both sides also condoled the deaths of those who were killed in the violence and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.
The two sides also agreed that neutral forces of the central government should be deployed in these border areas. It was decided that no police or forest officers of either side would be deployed in the areas where violence was reported recently.
Sources have also indicated that the Centre at a later stage may also ask both the chief ministers to hold such meetings.
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