UCM urges BRTF to stop faulty border fencing

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 1 : United Committee Manipur (UCM) president Joychandra Konthoujam has urged the  Border Road Task Force (BRTF) to immediately halt the fencing construction work near the Indo-Myanmar border areas to avoid people's uprising.
A team of UCM members inspected the fencing construction work along the Indo-Myanmar border and border pillars there along with media persons yesterday and dismissed the labourers engaged in the work.
Speaking to media persons, Joychandra Konthoujam claimed that the site of fencing works intrude on the land of Manipur by about 1 km.
Continuing that the UCM had last year asked the authority not to construct the fence near Border Pillar 81 as it affects the land of Manipur, the UCM president said that continuing the work is nothing but an insult to the people.
Further asking the authority concerned to continue the fencing works after settling the land issue first, Joychandra Konthoujam said that the people will not accept the continuance of the fencing works without resolving the pressing matter on hand.
"Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr RK Ranjan Singh had agreed to verify the same after we brought up the issue to him, but unfortunately he is yet to deliver his assurance," he added.
Claiming that there is no sign of incorporating any gate in the security fence, he maintained that the land of Manipur beyond the fence might be lost if not intervened on time.
Joychandra Konthoujam cautioned that different modes of agitation will be launched if fencing works continue without resolving the issue first.
Maintaining that the people of Manipur will  not compromise its land just to befriend Myanmar or for Act East Policy, the UCM president claimed that most of the border pillars are also erected on inaccurate positions.
Asking if the State Government is going to  turn a blind eye to the situation, he urged the Government and authority concerned to refrain from continuing the fencing works discreetly.
UCM general secretary Ng Deva said that the Government should not wait for people's uprising like the incident of June 18 and intervene to save the territory of Manipur.
 Resuming the  fencing works would be like poking a beehive, he added.
Urging the State Government to clarify if they couldn't  protect Manipur territory and hand over the responsibility to the people, Ng Deva  said that the people of Manipur should not remain as silent spectators when the territorial integrity of Manipur is put on stake.