Assam Tribune
Guwahati | November 20
Asserting that the Assam-Nagaland border dispute must be resolved outside the court of law, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today revealed that a ‘third party’, comprising mostly the illegal Bangladeshi migrants, who are occupying the border areas in sizeable numbers, is playing a crucial role in keeping the dispute hot among the people of both the States. In an exclusive interview with The Assam Tribune here today, the Nagaland Chief Minister said that as these illegal migrants are coming to the border areas via Assam, the Assam Government has a greater role to play before things worsened further.
“Assam, apart from being the gateway to SE Asia is also the mother of all the North-eastern States and, therefore, the onus is more on them to restore normalcy in the region in co-operation with the other NE States,” Rio pointed out.
“As it is through Assam that all the development works take place in the other NE States, having a proper bonding with it is very necessary for the other NE States,” he asserted.
“The High Court may come up with a verdict on the Assam-Nagaland border issue soon but the real challenge would be to sensitise the people along the border by striking a certain level of understanding between them. Until and unless people along the border develop a certain bond of understanding, the problem would keep on erupting time and again,” Rio said.
“The scenario in the Assam-Nagaland border is deteriorating and we will have to work in tandem in order to sensitise people living along the border,” said Rio, who was here in the city to inaugurate the first Nagaland guesthouse in Six Mile area.
When asked, he however refused to comment as to whether any political party is backing the illegal migrants for their vested interest, who in turn are fuelling the border dispute between the two States.
He went on to say, “Both the State Governments of Assam and Nagaland would have to identify these illegal migrants and take necessary action against them.”
The Chief Minister further said, “ Loss of human lives and property is always painful and co-operative initiative from the both the States is the only way of resolving the issue.”
He went on to say that the North Eastern States are heading towards major development and peace being the prerequisite for sustainable development cannot be compromised with at any cost.
On the arms and drugs proliferation in the region, Rio opined that neighbouring countries virtually have no control over the borders, which is one of the reasons why such crimes are on the rise in the NE.
“ I have spoken to the Union Ministry on this issue several times but nothing has come up as yet. I feel, all the northeastern states must initiate concentrated efforts to convince the Centre to take steps in this regard,” the Chief Minister added.
