CNI News

12 January 2024

Tamu locals are finding it difficult to go to Moreh in order to sell goods due to the ongoing communal conflict in Manipur Province, India, according to Tamu locals. 

They go to Moreh in order to sell regionally produced goods and consumer goods and import Indian textiles from Moreh. 

However, at present, Indian army is strictly checking in Moreh and although it is convenient for those who can speak Indian language, ordinary Tamu locals are finding it difficult, Ko Min Ko who is buying and selling goods in Tamu Town and Moreh Town, told CNI news agency.

" For the time being, it's convenient for Chin and Hindi people who live in both Moreh and Myanmar. They can speak Indian language. Ordinary Myanmar people are not okay. Basic workers in Tamu are in trouble. Some go to Moreh to sell goods, taking risk. Some buy vegetables in Tamu and go to IDP villages and sell them. Almost everyone gets into trouble." he said.

While people are going and coming on the Tamu-Moreh border crossing bridge

The Tamu-Moreh border gate is the main path that is used to export Myanmar goods to India. 70 percent of Tamu locals are depending on the Tamu-Moreh border trade and a lot of people are crossing the border daily. Because Tamu locals trade with Moreh and they also do freight, they are finding it difficult at present reportedly.

Moreover, because of difficult transportation, Tamu residents can only go to Moreh and sell goods every three days, Ko Ye Lin Aung, a Tamu resident, told CNI News.

" We can't go to Moreh everyday. The goods from Kalay Town, from Mountains and from Chin mountains can't reach here everyday because the roads have been closed. Only when groceries and vegetables reach, we can go to Moreh every three days. For the time being, it's not possible any more for us to stay in Moreh temporarily." he said.

Because the battles are breaking out along the Kalay-Tamu road, the trade routes have been blocked. So, commodity prices are going up in Tamu and it is difficult to buy some goods. Moreover, construction work and transportation business also have been suspended reportedly.

When the battles broke out in Tamu in the past, some Myanmar people entered India as IDPs. Now India are sending them back to Myanmar.