Mizoram and Assam to Hold Key Border Negotiations in August

Aizawl, July 30, 2024 — Mizoram and Assam are scheduled to restart border negotiations in August, aiming to address their longstanding boundary dispute. The upcoming discussions will be the first since the last round in Guwahati in November 2022.

Mizoram Home Minister K. Sapdanga confirmed that the talks will take place on August 9 in Aizawl. “We received confirmation from Assam’s home secretary about their willingness to meet in Aizawl. After consulting with Chief Minister Lalduhoma, we agreed to the proposed date,” Sapdanga said.

The talks will be led by Sapdanga for Mizoram and by Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora for Assam. Sapdanga expressed hope for a constructive dialogue that could lead to a resolution of the long-standing issue, which has seen little progress over the years.

Although Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had agreed in February to send Bora to Mizoram in March, the discussions were postponed due to the Lok Sabha elections. Sapdanga noted that there have been no breaches of the status quo since a violent clash in July 2021, which resulted in casualties on both sides.

The border dispute involves a 164.6 km stretch where Mizoram’s Aizawl, Kolasib, and Mamit districts meet Assam’s Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi districts. The contention centers on colonial-era demarcations from 1875 and 1933. Mizoram asserts that the 509 square miles of land within the inner line reserved forest, established in 1875, should be under its jurisdiction. Conversely, Assam relies on a 1933 Survey of India map as its boundary reference.

Both states have engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations since August 2021, including three ministerial-level meetings, with agreements to maintain peace and continue discussions. The forthcoming talks are seen as a critical opportunity to advance towards a peaceful resolution.