CNI News

24 April 2024

Some townships in Rakhine and Chin States might face commodity shortages because India had closed the Mizoram border gate, locals told CNI News. 

The Mizoram border gate is connected to the roads going to Mizoram State, India and Paletwa Township, Chin State, Myanmar.

India has closed the border cross travel since 18th April due to the election, including the Mizoram border gate. It was not clear when the border post would be re-opened, said locals of Paletwa Township.

Because of the battles breaking out in Rakhine State, goods from the mainland cannot be carried to Rakhine State. So, locals from Kyauktaw, Mrauk U and Ponnagyun Townships were using commodities from India. But now, because the border post has been closed, those townships might find it difficult, U Aung Din, a resident of Paletwa, told CNI News.

While seeing the Mizoram border gate

" People from Kyauktaw cannot carry goods from Sittwe and Ann by road or waterways. So, they had to buy and use goods coming from India including rice, edible oil and salt. But now because India has closed the Mizoram border gate, people from Paletwa, Chin State and Kyauktaw, Mrauk U and Ponnagyun Townships in Rakhine State get into trouble." he said.

India has indefinitely forbidden its citizen so as not to export basic foodstuffs and fuel that were being daily exported since 16th April.

Prices have been rising in Paletwa that had to depend on the Indian commodities since the date of closure of Mizoram Border Gate and the entry of goods has stopped, Ko Kyaw Khin, a resident of Paletwa, told CNI News.

While seeing somewhere downtown Paletwa

" A bag of cement was paid 55,000 kyats recently. But now it's paid 70,000 kyats. Even so, the cement can't enter anymore. But sometimes, some people smuggled goods at night. If they were caught, they were arrested. You have to eat what you have. Otherwise, you have to eat food for pigs like the people in Ann do. If you have nothing to eat anymore, you will have to die of hunger." he said.

Because of change of policy relating to the India-Myanmar border affairs, the Tamu-Moreh border post also has been closed.