The people of Durpai village in Lower Siang district are consistently opposing the looping method to resolve the Assam-Arunachal boundary issue. On Saturday, they again made it clear that they will not accept the decision to apply looping system to resolve the boundary dispute with Assam in Durpai area. Assam and Arunachal had signed a historic memorandum of understanding, aimed at resolving most of the boundary disputes, in the presence of union Home Minister Amit Shah, on 20 April. While in most areas the people have accepted the settlement, some of the villagers of Lower Siang have refused to accept it.
With them being adamant about not being ready to accept the looping system, the state government should rethink. The people’s emotions are running high and there are possibilities that this decision may lead to law and order problems. Land is a very sensitive issue and sometimes people can take drastic measures if they feel threatened about losing their ancestral property. Therefore, if the looping system is imposed upon the people of Durpai despite their bitter objection, it might backfire in the long run. The Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute is a long pending one. The matter is still pending in the Supreme Court. The attempts being made by the Chief Ministers Pema Khandu and Himanta Biswa Sarma to resolve the boundary out of court is a good move. Desired progress has also been made. But wherever people are refusing to accept some of the decisions, the governments of both the states should engage in dialogue with the affected people and work out a solution. Imposing any decision will not help the attempt to resolve the boundary disputes in the long run.