Assam and Nagaland on Thursday decided to put in place a joint mechanism for regular coordination between their officials to prevent the recurrence of violence over the long-pending boundary dispute. The two States also agreed that the historical problems causing the recurring incidents in the disputed belt should be resolved.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang arrived at this agreement in the presence of Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju at a meeting held on the sidelines of the two-day Conference of Chief Ministers of North Eastern States at the Assam Administrative Staff College here. Mr. Rijju promised the Centre’s help to contain the situation.
The meeting discussed the outbreak of violence on August 12-13 in the disputed belt that claimed the lives of nine Assamese villagers in Golaghat district. The subsequent deterioration in the law and order situation in Assam led to the imposition of an indefinite curfew. The Army was called out in the trouble-torn district on Wednesday after police action against agitators left three dead and about 60, including 22 policemen, injured.
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Both the Chief Ministers agreed to take care of the people affected and displaced by the recent violence in their respective States.
At a joint briefing after the meeting, Mr. Rijiju appealed to the agitators “not to fuel tensions further when the two State governments have come together to resolve the issue.”
He appealed to the agitators not to impose economic blockade against any State. People in the northeastern States should have free movement across the region. Everyone had to live in an atmosphere of peace and grow together, he said.
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Mr. Gogoi and Mr. Zeliang said both the States expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Mr. Rijiju said the Centre was ready to reinforce the Central forces in disturbed areas along the boundary.