[dropcap]B[/dropcap]order disputes among the North Eastern states have been, to a great extent, responsible for creating differences between two groups of people across the borders or misunderstanding between two neighbouring governments.
To resolve these disputes a herculean effort from the concerned parties is required where the Central government has to facilitate. Any meeting between state governments sans the active involvement of the Central government in an attempt to resolve the disputes has the potential to create further trouble. But again, the initiative of the Centre without effective strategies amounts to employing the stereotype approach. We have seen in the past that successive Central governments had failed to make headways in most border cases. In short, a dynamic referee with effective strategies is a needed item to soothe the border ails.Again, in the event of any such meeting taking place, concerned civil bodies and affected village authorities ought to represent.
This column would like to alert the state governments of the region as well as the Centre that the longer the matter is kept in abeyance the degree of complication manufactured by the situation will heighten. The fast ballooning population size shrinks land and the tussle for little available dwelling place becomes the bone of contention between groups.
Currently, pandemonium has been going on triggered by the border disputes of Assam-Nagaland, Meghalaya-Assam, Manipur-Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh-Assam and Mizoram- Assam.
The most vocal of the disputes at the moment is that of Nagaland-Assam.
Manipur and Nagaland border dispute at Jessami in Ukhrul district is also another concern which is yet to be resolved. Clashes of villagers from both the sides have been happening from time to time.
The Nagaland-Assam border disputes in several areas have also been a cause for worry. Burning of houses and even killing incidents have been occurring with no solution in sight.
Meghalaya-Assam border dispute at Langpih is again the subject of a long-running dispute between the Meghalaya and Assam state governments.
