After China, now it is the turn of Myanmar to intrude into Indian territory in Manipur and try to erect a fence and pitch tents there. The incident took place in Holenphai village in Moreh in Chandel district last week.
The Myanmar troops claimed that the village Holenphai falls within Myanmar territory. Assam Rifles, which guards the border, has intensified patrolling and New Delhi has said it will take up the issue at diplomatic level with Myanmar. Source said a group of the Myanmar Army soldiers came into Indian territory in Moreh last week and started cutting trees with the intention of erecting a fence and setting up a camp. The Assam Rifles contingent protested and reminded the Myanmar troops that it was a "no construction zone' on the Indian side, officials informed on Wednesday.
Elaborating upon the dispute, officials said the issue pertains to a border pillar number 76 near the village. Unlike China, India and Myanmar armies share a very good relationship. Both the countries share 1,643 km international border, including 398 km in Manipur.
Terming the incident as a "local misunderstanding" and not an incursion, sources said Indian ambassador to Myanmar Gautam Mukhopadhyaya met representatives of Myanmar's government earlier this week to discuss the reported intrusion. Manipur Principal Secretary Suresh Babu, who inspected the area, said the two sides will discuss the maps on Thursday to resolve the differences.
Reacting to the intrusion, India on Wednesday asked Myanmar to set up a Joint Border Working Group (JBWG) to address the issue of demarcation of border between the two countries against the backdrop of attempt by Myanmar Army to construct a defence post near an undemarcated border pillar.
Though the proposal to set up JBWG has been there but after the recent incident, India has reiterated the need to set up the group to resolve the issue, official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin said in New Delhi. He said this was conveyed through India's Ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhyay.
Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ashwini Kumar visited Moreh on Tuesday to take stock of the situation and held talks with village chiefs and officials on the possible loss of some of the State's territory if the Myanmar authorities went ahead with the fencing reportedly to prevent smuggling and passage of militants, sources said on Wednesday.
Village chiefs and officials gave a detailed report to the Governor who assured them that he would take up the issue with the State and Central governments. The State Government had earlier urged the Central Government to ask Myanmar to stop construction of the border fencing till a joint survey of the area was made by both the governments, they said.
Additional deputy commissioner Robert Singh Kshetrimayum visited the area on Thursday last and convinced the troops from the neighbouring country to halt the work until a final settlement is reached by the higher authorities of the two countries.
The intrusion came at a time when the Manipur Government has decided to set up a committee to review the India-Myanmar border-fencing work in Chandel district, considering the public furore over it. The Manipur Government had recently taken up construction work of border fencing in 10 km area in Chandel district. The move, however, kicked up a storm with various social organisations and Opposition parties saying that as per the proposed fencing a large chunk of land will fall in Myanmar.