CNI News
12 January 2024
India government is planning to enable the citizens from both countries cross the border and carrying out to allow the citizens to pass with cross-border visa, said residents of Tamu, a Myanmar border town.
At present, residents of Tamu illegally cross the border and go to Moreh, an Indian border town, to sell goods but doing so is with mutual understanding only.
However, Myanmar people tend to be beaten when conflicts take place. If cross-border visas were issued, it would be necessary to guarantee regional stability, Ko Min Ko, a Tamu resident who goes to Moreh to buy and sell goods, told CNI News.
Nan Phar Lone Market in Tamu near the India-Myanmar border
"If the cross-border visas are to be issued accurately, it will be peaceful on their side, if they have insurance, we'll have a little more opportunity than we have now. If not so, it will be nothing more than to cost us. When it's stable on their side, they allow us to sell goods. When they are in need of food, they allow Myanmar people to sell goods. If there's a bad problem among them, Myanmar people would be beaten and expelled. At a time like that, whether you have the visa or not might not be important. Because they are nice only when they need us, whether you have the visa or not won't make any difference, I think.” he Said.
According to the free movement program between the Manipur Province and Myanmar, part of the Look East policy of the government of India, the citizens on one side can enter the other side until the places that are 16 kilometers away from the border line.
However, due to the current racial conflict, for the stability of the border area, the program will be suspended. If the program was suspended, Tamu residents who go to Moreh to sell goods might become jobless, said locals.
India-Myanmar cross-border gate
If the cross-border visas were issued by India, it could be difficult for basic workers, Ko Ye Lin Aung, a Tamu resident, told CNI News.
" If the visas were issued, it wouldn't be convenient, I think because almost everybody would have to apply for the visa. But basic workers can't afford. It would help us a lot if we were allowed to stay in Moreh for a while like before." he said.
Tamu residents can go to Moreh to sell goods twice a week at present and as going like that is kind of illegal, if the Indian soldiers saw them, they would be beaten reportedly.
Myanmar citizens in Tamu go and sell locally produced bitter bean, mustard and consumer goods coming from China to the Indian citizens in Moreh. Because it is difficult to go and sell every day at present, the commodities' prices are declining and farmers are making a loss.
