In order to bring back peace and de-escalate tensions along the Assam-Nagaland border, both the neighbouring states in a chief secretary level meeting on Saturday agreed to withdraw the states’ security forces from the border locations.
An agreement was signed on Saturday at Dimapur by Nagaland chief secretary J Alam and his Assam counterpart Jishnu Barua in presence Assam education minister Dr Ranoj Pegu and Nagaland deputy chief minister Y. Patton.
While sharing the agreement, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “In a major breakthrough towards de-escalating tensions at Assam-Nagaland border, the two Chief Secretaries have arrived at an understanding to immediately withdraw states’ forces from border locations to their respective base camps.”
Chief minister Sarma has termed the signing of the agreement as a “historic step”.
While thanking Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio for the step, Sarma tweeted: “This is a historic step in our relations. My gratitude to HCM Sri @Neiphiu_Rio for working with #Assam in restoring peace on the border.”
This is a historic step in our relations. My gratitude to HCM Sri @Neiphiu_Rio for working with #Assam in restoring peace on the border.
Assam is committed to ensuring peace along all its borders & strives for social & economic prosperity of #NorthEast region. 2/2@AmitShah pic.twitter.com/IyQXuuID0u
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 31, 2021
Sarma further said, “Assam is committed to ensuring peace along all its borders & strives for social & economic prosperity of Northeast region.”
A meeting was held between the Nagaland chief secretary and the Assam chief secretary at Dimapur in Nagaland with a view to de-escalate the tense situation prevailing in two) locations in the Dessoi Valley Reserved Forest/ Tsurangkong valley due to standoff between the armed police forces of Nagaland and Assam.
“Both sides agreed that in order to maintain peace and tranquillity in the areas around Ao Senden village and Vikuto Village as they are known in Nagaland, and known as Jankhona Nala / Nagajankha” in Assam.
It was agreed that “urgent and effective steps are required for defusing the standoff between the security forces of Nagaland and Assam”.
In this regard, it was decided by both sides that the “security personnel of both states shall simultaneously move back from their present locations to their respective base camps”.
As per the agreement, the simultaneous withdrawal of the security personnel shall begin immediately and shall be completed in the next 24 hours as far as possible.
Nagaland and Assam decided to monitor the area by surveillance using UAV and satellite imagery with a view to maintaining the status quo.
“The Superintendents of Police of the districts of Mokokchung (Nagaland) and Jorhat (Assam) shall ensure orderly withdrawal of their respective forces and shall be responsible for it in the instant case,” the agreement reads.
The agreement was signed between Assam and Nagaland after 6 Assam Police personnel and a civilian lost their lives and more than 50 people were injured during an attack by Mizoram Police and goons from the neighbouring state along the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26, 2021.