Myanmar erecting wooden fencing along Manipur border: Parties

Myanmar is erecting wooden fencing along the undemarcated border with India near Moreh town of Manipur's Chandel district, civil society groups and political parties today alleged and sought Centre's intervention.

A CPI team visited the border areas yesterday and suggested that a working group formed by the two countries should immediately re-survey the area and till then there must no fencing work at the undemarcated areas. The party's Manipur unit secretary M Nara said it was "now an accepted fact that there was a border dispute near Moreh", and demanded that the ruling Congress immediately convenes an all political party meeting to discuss the issue.

Senior CPI leader Sotin Kumar, who led the team, claimed that if the erection of fencing continued, about seven km stretch of land with a width of about 100 metres would fall within the territory of the neighbouring country. Major social organisation, United Committee Manipur (UCM), national and regional political parties and other civil societies whose representatives had visited the 'undemarcated' border areas claimed if the fencing was not stopped, several villages would come under Myanmar.

Villagers of Holenphai, about three km south of Moreh, said wooden fencing was erected near their village about four days ago before conducting proper a re-survey of the 'undemarcated' border areas.

The ongoing erection of fencing was about 10 feet from border pillar number 23, sources said, adding the area was yet to be demarcated between the two countries. Village leaders of Holenphai claim they had been asked by the officials of the neighbouring country to vacate the area.

State government officials had urged the Myanmar officials to stop all activities at the border areas until a proper re-survey was done, sources said.