Tag: Indo-Myanmar border

Indo-Myanmar Border To Be Fenced To Curb Influx Of Illegal Migrants, Insurgents: Shah

By LokMarg

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the Indo-Myanmar border will be fenced like the Indo-Bangladesh border to curb the influx of illegal migrants and insurgents.

Addressing the passing out parade ceremony of Assam Police Commandos, Shah said, ” Indo-Myanmar border is to be fenced like the Indo-Bangladesh border. The Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to fence the Indo-Myanmar border to curb the influx of illegal migrants and insurgents.”

“We are also thinking of ending the free-movement facility with Myanmar,” Shah added.

Shah applauded the Assam Police for fighting against different issues including infiltration and drug smuggling.

“Assam has always been affected by infiltration issues that have been going on for 10 decades, Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, drug smuggling, etc., but Assam Police has a glorious history of fighting and winning against these issues,” he said.

The Union Minister also launched a scathing attack on the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and said that people who lost their family members due to insurgency in Congress rule are opposing the yatra.

“Rahul Gandhi has launched Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra recently, I asked a few media personnel here today, what happened in Assam. During Congress rule, thousands of youths lost their lives, extremism prevailed in Assam. The family members of those people who lost lives during Congress rule objected to Congress Yatra and demanded justice,” Shah said.

Meanwhile, the 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, spanning Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, currently operates under the Free Movement Regime (FMR), permits individuals living near the India-Myanmar border to travel 16 km into each other’s territories without a visa. Initiated in 2018, the FMR policy was a component of India’s Act East policy.

As per FMR policy, those belonging to the hill tribes, being citizens of either India or Myanmar and residing within a 16 km radius on either side of the border, can cross with a border pass valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to two weeks per visit.

Allegations claim that following the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, a considerable number of Myanmar’s tribal population crossed into India, particularly Manipur and Mizoram, and remained illegally. It’s alleged that these individuals sought refuge on Indian territory and subsequently engaged in unlawful activities, notably drug smuggling.

In September 2023, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh appealed to the Centre to terminate the FMR. The state government contends that insurgents exploit this regime to advance their activities.

Manipur shares approximately 390 km of a porous border with Myanmar, with only about 10 km fenced as of now. In July last year, the state government disclosed data indicating that approximately 700 illegal immigrants had entered the state.

Additionally, following the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, Mizoram has witnessed an influx of thousands of anti-Junta rebels. Government estimates suggest that several thousand refugees have settled in various parts of Mizoram since the coup.

Mizoram has a porous border spanning 510 kilometres with Myanmar.

The Manipur Chief Minister mentioned incidents where individuals from Myanmar attempted to enter his state but retreated upon encountering a substantial presence of security personnel. Manipur shares a 398-kilometer border with Myanmar.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 520-kilometer border with Myanmar, whereas Nagaland’s border with the country spans 215 kilometres. (ANI)

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Myanmar

Unpredictable Situation At Border Worries Myanmar Refugees

By LokMarg

Following the recent airstrike by the Myanmar army in the bordering areas of Myanmar, the situation is still tense, but there has been no report of any fresh violent incidents along the Indo-Myanmar border.

According to the locals of the Zokhawthar area in Mizoram’s Champhai district, which is the last border village from the Indian side, the overall situation is now peaceful.

Following the airstrike by the Myanmar army, as many as 5000 Myanmar nationals crossed over the international border and entered the Zokhawthar area to take shelter and many of them have now returned to their country.

Speaking about the current situation along the Indo-Myanmar border area, Rama, who is a local resident of the Zokhawthar area, told ANI that the current situation along the border area is peaceful.

“It’s unpredictable; sometimes it’s peaceful and within a minute you don’t know what will happen. Right now the situation is peaceful, but it was not good till the day before yesterday,” Rama said.

Indian security personnel are vigilantly overseeing the movements of citizens from both countries on the Tiau River bridge, a vital link connecting Zokhawthar in Mizoram’s Champhai district to the Chin State of Myanmar.

On the other hand, Zothangliana, a local youth of the Zokhawthar area who also witnessed the recent airstrike by the Myanmar army, said that, on that day, the entire situation was horrible and along with other people of the Zokhawthar area, he also saw the bombing by the Myanmar army in the bordering areas of Myanmar.

“On November 13, not only during the morning but also at night, they were continuously bombing. In the morning, around four, they started continuously firing and bombing. It’s a big problem for us. It’s very horrible for us. Afterwards, refugees started coming, and we helped them,” Zothangliana, a local youth of the Zokhawthar area, said.

The refugees however are happy with the facilities and help that has been provided by the Government of Mizoram and local NGOs

25-year-old Khiannunpar, a resident of Chin state of Myanmar who is now living along with her family in a refugee camp in the Zokhawthar area says, “I am now nine months pregnant…Earlier, I visited a local health Sub-Centre for my health checkup and the administration has provided me medicines. Doctors and nurses also visited to inquire about our health. We also get ration. We are so happy with the Mizoram government’s work. They are supporting us.”

Myanmar refugee from the Bethel refugee camp, Vanlalruata says, “We came here in September 2021 as refugees. As of now, there are eight pregnant women in this camp…The Mizoram government and NGOs are supporting and helping us. They have provided us with medicines. The government is trying their best to mitigate our problems. We are thankful to the Mizoram government.”

James Lalrinchhana, Deputy Commissioner, Keifangtlang, Champhai District says that the Government has provided tents and other ammenties to the refugees.

“From our office, we sent magistrates and officers from Disaster Management. They immediately assessed the situation and with the help of NGOSs there, they arranged food immediately required by people. Apart from that, they also require shelter…We sheltered them in community halls, schools” the Deputy Commissioner told ANI.

Among the 5,000 Myanmar refugees who are now taking shelter in six refugee camps in the Zokhawthar area in Mizoram’s Champhai district which is located along the Indo-Myanmar border, there are many women and children who are also living in makeshift tents in the camps. (ANI)

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