The first meeting of the Regional Committees of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on Monday after the signing of the 'Namsai Declaration' is a significant milestone as the two states embark on bringing a solution to the vexed boundary dispute, which dates back to colonial times. The 800-km-long inter-state border has been the site of many conflicts over the years. Under the 'Namsai Declaration' both states have agreed to reduce the number of 'disputed villages' to 86, instead of the previous 123.
Land dispute is a long standing issue in the Northeast which has remained genuinely unattended since decades. Despite formation of various Border Commissions in the past to end the boundary disputes in NE, none of the states have accepted the recommendations and as such no consensus-based solutions have emerged. Whenever clashes have erupted, the Union Home Ministry has intervened, calling the warring states to show restraint. A tension-easing methodology of this kind only has an ephemeral impact, leaving the ailment to turn chronic and that’s exactly what has happened in the region. 
The decision to settle the decades-old boundary issue with Assam out-of-the-court was taken in an all-party meeting convened by the state government in August 11, 2021 for which a high power ministerial committee was constituted. Since then things have moved which resulted in the signing of the Namsai Declaration on July 15 this year. 
The settlement of the long-standing boundary dispute between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam will open a new chapter for the two neighbours who despite sharing close ties have been marred by violence which has disturbed the equilibrium.  

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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