Myanmar’s military junta has subtly expressed its displeasure over controversial statements made recently by lawmakers from Mizoram and Manipur, stating that such remarks could “harm” bilateral ties.

The reaction does not name India or the lawmakers, but media outlets reporting on Myanmar have identified the Indian politicians.

According to a report in The Irrawaddy on March 15, junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun warned on March 13 that “foreign politicians” should refrain from actions “driven by self-interest” that could “harm” bilateral relations, while urging respect for
Myanmar’s sovereignty.

The controversy stems from a suggestion made in the Rajya Sabha on March 10 by Manipur MP Sanajaoba Leishemba, who called for either the return of Myanmar’s Kabaw Valley to Manipur or the continuation of compensation payments to India in accordance with the 1826 Treaty of Yandaboo and the 1834 Kabaw Valley Agreement.

He said the 22,210 square kilometer fertile valley had been an “integral part” of Manipur since 1450 but was “gifted” to Burma (now Myanmar) on March 3, 1953, by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

News outlet Mizzima also carried a report on Saturday, citing the military junta’s “propaganda channel,” Myawaddy TV, which aired a statement by Major General Tun. He alleged that “certain Indian politicians were acting purely out of political interests, potentially harming bilateral relations”.

Mizoram’s Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena had urged the Chins of Myanmar to join India, citing shared ethnicity.