Tensions Rise on Assam-Arunachal Border Over Land Dispute

Tensions escalated along the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh following a verbal dispute between residents of the Kolapothar area in Tinsukia. According to sources, a team of administrative officials from Arunachal Pradesh arrived in the Kolapothar area on Thursday evening to demarcate the land between the two states, which caused uproar among the locals. The residents of Kolapothar engaged in a heated exchange with the Arunachal administration.

As per reports, the residents have stated that they would cede their land to Arunachal if the area’s borders are officially demarcated by the government, following Thursday’s incident. They have also warned that if the government does not take steps to demarcate the borders, the conflicts between the people residing in these areas would continue.

Efforts to resolve the long-standing border dispute between the two states have been underway for some time, and officials from both states have been engaged in crucial talks.

For the past 40 years, people have been living in Kolapothar as residents of Assam, located at the border between the two states that share an 804.1 km-long border. Arunachal Pradesh, which became a union territory in 1972, has raised concerns that several forested areas in the plains, which traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities, were transferred to Assam without their consent.

Regional committees of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh met in January to finalise a report on 57 disputed villages in the bordering areas. Negotiations were reportedly 95 percent successful and the proposal will be submitted to the chief ministers of both states.