Assam and Mizoram have agreed to take forward the initiatives taken by the home ministry and their chief ministers to remove tensions prevailing around the inter-state border and to find lasting solutions to disputes through discussions, a joint statement released by the states said on Thursday. The two states who were indulged in an ugly border conflict last week, held talks on Thursday and agreed to resolve the issue amicably, officials said.
Assam has also revoked a government advisory issued earlier against travel to Mizoram. "Both the state governments agreed to maintain peace in the inter-state border areas and welcomed the deployment of neutral force by Government of India in this regard. For this purpose, both the states shall not send their respective forest and police forces for patrolling, domination, enforcement or for fresh deployment to any of the areas where confrontation had taken place between the police forces of the two states during recent times. This would include all such areas along the Assam-Mizoram border in the districts of Karimganj, Hailakandi, and Cachar in Assam, and Mizoram's Mamit and Kolasib districts," a joint statement issued by the two states said.
The joint statement was signed by Assam's Minister for Border Protection and Development Atul Bora and the department's commissioner and secretary G D Tripathi, and Mizoram's Home Minister Lalchamliana and Home Secretary Vanlalngathsaka.
"Representatives of Governments of Assam and Mizoram agree to take all necessary measures to promote, preserve and maintain peace and harmony amongst people living in Assam and Mizoram, particularly in border areas," the statement, shared on Twitter by Assam minister Ashok Singhal, said.
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The meeting of ministers and officials of the two states was scheduled to be held at Aijal club in Aizawl at 11 am on Thursday.
A festering border dispute between the two states had triggered a bloody conflict on July 26, leading to the death of six Assam Police personnel and one civilian. Over 50 people suffered injuries in the incident.
The two sides decided to hold talks on Thursday to defuse the escalating tension following Union Home Minister Amit Shah intervention, highly placed sources said. Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Zoramthanga had said that he was certain the meeting would help the two states arrive at a solution.
Earlier, on Monday, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on the microblogging site that he will send two of his cabinet ministers to Aizawl to broker peace. Sarma's announcement came hours after his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga declared on social media that he had directed the state police to withdraw cases filed against officials of the neighbouring state.
The Assam CM subsequently said cases filed in his state against Kolasib Deputy Commissioner H Lalthlangliana and Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Thartea Hrangchal will also be withdrawn.
