Myanmar attempts to erect fencing near Manipur border town

Manipur Governor Ashwini Kumar has taken stock of the situation on a 10 km stretch near the border town of Moreh in Chandel district where Myanmar recently tried to erect fencing, official sources said today.
Kumar yesterday visited Moreh and held talks with village chiefs and officials on the possible loss of some of the state's territory if the Myanmar authorities went ahead with the fencing reportedly to prevent smuggling and passage of militants, the sources said today.
Village chiefs and officials gave a detailed report to the Governor who assured them that he would take up the issue with the state and central governments, the sources said.

The state government had earlier urged the central government to ask Myanmar to stop construction of the border fencing till a joint survey of the area was made by both the governments, they said.
The Myanmar authorities had some days ago also attempted to construct a base camp next to Holenphai border village near Moreh, the sources said.
A high-power committee headed by state principal secretary home had visited the area on August 26. It would submit a detailed report to the state government which would forward it to the central government, they said.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had earlier said that some border pillars in the area were missing and some were covered with thick grass because of non-maintenance.

He had urged the central government to settle the issue with Myanmar authorities at the earliest.
Representatives of social organisations who visited the border area have demanded that the central and state governments ask the Myanmar authorities to stop any attempt to construct the border fencing until there was a settlement on the issue.