Aizawl: Assam and Mizoram have reaffirmed their dedication to resolving their border conflict through peaceful dialogue on Friday. The commitment was underscored during a ministerial meeting held in Aizawl, where both states pledged to maintain peace along their shared border and enforce a zero-tolerance stance on areca nut smuggling.
The meeting saw Assam’s delegation, led by Border Protection & Development Minister Atul Bora, engage with Mizoram’s Home Minister K. Sapdanga and Minister for Land, Revenue, and Settlement B Lalchhanzova. The Assam team included Principal Secretary GD Tripathi and other senior officials, while Mizoram’s delegation featured Home Department Secretary Vanlalmawia and Additional Secretary Joseph H. Lalramsanga.
Following the talks, a joint statement was issued, reinforcing the ‘Goodwill Mission’ and the resolutions made in a February 9, 2024, meeting between the Chief Ministers of both states. The statement emphasized continued efforts to prevent border incidents and uphold peace.
The two states agreed to a sustained crackdown on smuggling and regular meetings between Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, with monthly virtual discussions and in-person meetings every six months. The next high-level meeting is planned for Guwahati before March 31, 2025.
The statement also stressed the importance of public cooperation in resolving border disputes, urging residents and stakeholders to report issues to authorities rather than taking unilateral actions.
The Assam-Mizoram border dispute is a longstanding issue that dates back to the British colonial era . The conflict started due to the need for a boundary between the British and the Lushai Hills (Mizo) tribes, resulting in the signing of a treaty and the marking of the boundary with 46 pillars in 1871 . However, the modern usage of the 1933 notification, which defined the Inner Line or Boundary Line between Assam and Lushai Hills District (Mizoram), is disputed .
Mizoram was carved out of Assam as a union territory in 1972 and became a state in 1987 following the Mizoram Peace Accord . Initially, Mizoram accepted the border with Assam, but later started disputing it due to encroachment . The conflict has since escalated, with skirmishes, buildings being set on fire, economic blockades, and a firing incident in 2021 that killed six Assam Police personnel .