Mizoram Assam Boundary Dispute – Burning Issues

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Assam-Mizoram Border sees Violence
4 people injured in clashes between residents of border towns and police forces of the two states.
While the two states have sparred over the border in the past, the stand-offs have been relatively non-violent and low-key

Q) Which Indian state shares its state borders with 9 other states?

South Assam districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj share a 164.6 kilometre-long border with Mizoram Vairengte in Kolasib district is on the northern fringe of Mizoram through which the National Highway-306 (formerly 54) passes, linking the State to Assam.
The nearest village in Assam is Lailapur, which is in Cachar district.

The Recent flare up

9 October – Assam officials reportedly burnt down a farm house and crops along a contested part of the Karimganj-Mamit boundary.
17 October – Allegedly, some residents of Cachar, in the presence of Assam police officials, dismantled a Mizoram police post. Mizo groups retaliated.
Clashes broke out in Vairengte, a border town.
Highway blocked

During British rule period, Mizoram was known as Lushai Hills, a district of Assam.
The dispute stems from 2 different boundary notifications
1875 – A boundary notification differentiated Lushai Hills from the plains of Cachar. Mizoram follows this demarcation.

– A new notification that demarcated a boundary between Lushai Hills and Manipur. Mizo society was not consulted for this. Assam government follows this demarcation.
In Independent India, Mizoram was part of Assam till 1972
1972 – it became a separate Union Territory.
1987 – it became a full-fledged state
Since then the boundary dispute has heated up.
Several rounds of talks, at various levels, since 1994 have failed to resolve the disagreement
According to an agreement between governments of Assam and Mizoram some years ago, status quo should be maintained in no man’s land in the border area.
Current violence was sparked when people from Lailapur (Assam) broke the status quo and allegedly constructed some temporary huts in this area.
Assam – Contested land belongs to Assam as per state’s records.
Mizoram – the land claimed by Assam is being cultivated for a long time by residents of Mizoram.
Mizoram civil society groups blame “illegal Bangladeshis” (alleged migrants from Bangladesh) on the Assam side.