The Hindu : Brisk business along Indo-Myanmar border

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 13, 2003

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National

Brisk business along Indo-Myanmar border

By Our Correspondent

IMPHAL APRIL 12. While there is mounting tension between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Bangladesh Rifles along the border, cordiality prevails along the 1,540 km Indo-Myanmar border. Over 2,000 tourists, traders and even smugglers and recruits of various underground organisations cross the border daily for shopping at Namphalong and Tamu in Myanmar. People from the other side come to the border town of Moreh for trade.

Border trade was legalised on April 12, 1995. Even before that there was unfettered trade and there were no travel restrictions.

There are hordes of taxis from Namphalong to take the Indians to Tamu on payment of Rs. 10 per head. An immigration token is issued for Rs. 10 per head for going to Tamu. There is no such regulation for going to Namphalong.

Bars run by young girls are open at Namphalong where Indians are encouraged to consume liquor till midnight. People in the know say that the daily business transaction, excluding drugs and guns, is around Rs. 75 lakhs.

Health officials say that the influx of sex workers from Myanmar is one of the major causes of the high incidence of AIDS in Manipur. Top Army and police officials say that hitmen of the major underground organisations, which have camps in the no man's land, have also been coming in to commit major crimes.

The IGP (Law and Order) A. Romen Kumar, says that some insurgents had sneaked into Moreh to gun down a sub-divisional officer who had refused to pay "taxes". On a number of occasions, agents had come and upset the communal balance thereby causing bloodshed.

Though military officers had been informed about these incidents, cooperation was not forthcoming.

In December 2001, the Myanmarese military raided some camps of Manipur insurgents in that country and nabbed 192 of them, including top leaders.

The Union Minister of State for Home, I.D. Swami, told reporters in Imphal that India had approached the military through diplomatic channels to allow India's intelligence officers to be present during interrogation. He later admitted that there was no response. By February 2002, all the arrested insurgents were set free.

The military's plea to hand over those wanted in connection with specific crimes was turned down. All of them are still in the State, particularly in Moreh. They have been celebrating the uprising popularly known as "8.8.88".

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