CNI News
13 December 2024
The Pangsau Pass, India-Myanmar border gate in the Naga self-administered region, Sagaing Region which had been closed for seven years due to armed conflicts will be officially opened by India, according to Naga locals.
The Pangsau-India border gate reportedly is closed every so often. At present, with the approval of the India-Myanmar Joint Border Market Committee, the border gate will be opened on 15th December.
Because battles broke out between a Naga armed group and the Indian army near the Pangsau border gate, the border gate has been closed since 2017, the chairman of the Naga National Party (NNP), U Shu Maung told CNI News.
" I've heard that gate will be opened on 15th December. The gate is closed every so often. At the last time closing gate, a battle broke out between a Naga armed group and Indian forces deployed near the gate and the Indian army suffered a lot of casualties. So, the gate has been closed since then." he said.
While seeing the border market in Pangsau
Because the gate will be opened, the people from the border area of the two countries are making preparations for their shops.
The people in Pangsau and Nanyun Townships, Naga administered region have to depend on the Indian commodities and during the closure of the gate, the people faced shortage of food ane extremely high prices.
Although Pangsau locals had to use the commodities coming from Myitkyina and Tanai Townships, Kachin State during the closure of the gate, Pangsau locals have faced difficulties again because battles are breaking out in the two townships.
If the border gate was opened by India on 15th December, it would be convenient for the locals, said U Shu Maung.
While seeing the Naga region
" When the border gate has been closed, Pangsau locals have to depend on the goods coming from Myitkyina, Tanai and Shin Bwe Yan. But now as battles are breaking out in these regions as well, there is no transportation. The goods carried through difficulties are extremely expensive while locals don't earn enough income. At that time, because India has closed its border gate, it's worse. But if the border gate is opened on 15th December, because there will be a lot of trade in the border areas, it will be very beneficial to locals." he said to CNI News.
Locals from Nanyun and Pangsau in the Naga self-administered region sell ginger and foodstuffs at the border market and buy rice, edible oil and fuel oil sold by the people from Nampong, India.
So, if the border gate was re-opened, it would help support the livelihoods of local people.
The border gates between the Naga self-administered region and India are Lahe-India border gate which is directly connected with Nagaland, the Leshee-Sumpra-Manipur Border Gate and the Pangsau( Naga)-Nampong (India) border gate.
