Assam, Arunachal Meeting Held to Ease Tension

Guwahati, Aug 28 : In the wake of the simmering tension and violence along its borders, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments today decided on a joint patrol, stopping of public display of arms by villagers and immediate dismantling of bunkers between Charaipung and Teok river.

A high-level meeting between the two governments was held here to ease the inter-state border tension at Charaipung area where it was decided that bunkers erected by Arunachal Pradesh police between Charaipung and Teok river will be removed immediately.

The area will also be jointly patrolled by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh police, which can have a patrol party in the Wangchu villages to instill confidence among the villagers, the meeting decided, official sources said.Similarly, Assam Police can also have a patrol party in the small tea garden areas for bringing confidence among the tea growers till the situation becomes normal, they said.

The meeting also decided that Arunachal government would take necessary steps to stop public display of arms by the villagers in the area.

It was resolved that the Assam government would take necessary steps to immediately withdraw additional police force deployed in the area since August 14.

To avoid firing by both the state police forces due to any misunderstanding, the meeting decided that local police officers would remain in constant touch. The meeting, attended by Assam's acting chief minister Bhumidhar Barman and Arunachal Pradesh's Finance Minister Setong Sena among others, also decided that strong action would be taken against the militants in the area if there is any display of sophisticated arms by them or there is any extortion attempts by them.

The meeting further appealed to organisations concerned to withdraw their economic blockade for preventing essential goods reaching Arunachal via Assam in the interest of the general public of both the states.

If the appeal was not honoured, the Assam government would take necessary steps to remove the blockade.An appeal was also made to the media for its cooperation in bringing normalcy in Charaipung in Assam's Sibsagar district where violent incidents by some Arunachali miscreants allegedly aided by NSCN-IM militants has been continuing since August 14, the sources said.

The meeting also decided to endorse the decisions taken for restoring peace at the ministerial level meeting between Arunachal home minister and Assam Law Minister Pranab Gogoi on August 19 at Bimalapur in Sibsagar.Besides Barman, the Assam side was represented by Gogoi, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Border Area Development Minister Gautam Roy.

The Arunachal side also included Principal Secretary Th Wangham, Home Commissioner Tajom Taloh, IGP S B K Singh, advisor to chief minister Tane Phassang and Arunachal Pradesh Citizens rights activist Bamong Tago.