Sealing of Manipur-Myanmar border | Traders at border down Moreh express concern

The Union government sealed the International Border along the Northeast on March 9, 2021.

Indian traders and civil society organisations located at Moreh, the border town of Manipur, have started expressing their concerns over the protracted “sealing of the Manipur-Myanmar border,” thereby driving thousands of small time traders out of work. The sealing of the International Border was announced on March 9, 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials feared that the free entry of the people from the other side of the International Border would aggravate the situation.

Indefinite ban on free movement of Myanmar nationals hits border trade; affects livelihood of thousands of villagers

 In the past, there was an exodus and majority of the displaced persons had entered India through Manipur and Mizoram. In order to check the unrestricted influx, the Union government sealed the International Border along the Northeast on March 9. Officials said that the seal off in Manipur became effective from March 10, 2021.

Highly placed sources said the security forces felt that the pro-democratic groups and the armed militias in Myanmar may be pushed into India. During the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, several activists fled the country and many student leaders, professionals including a health officer entered Manipur through Moreh town. They were lodged in a tin roofed facility near the International Border. But Myanmar intelligence officials who entered Moreh in the masquerade of “traders” shouted at the inmates to return home failing which their family members will face the music. Officials in Manipur feared that there may be a commandos rescue bid or bloodshed. So all the refugees were shifted to another camp located inside the 8 Manipur Rifles battalion at Leikhun in Chandel district. In due course, most of the displaced persons deserted the camp.

L. Brojendro, a fomer correspondent of a news agency and now general secretary of Meitei Council Moreh, a CSO told The Hindu that initially a large number of traders and businessmen were left in the lurch as the international gates I and II were shut down. After the military crackdown, the international market at Namphalong just across the international gate No. 2 was closed down. Though the military rulers instructed some traders to reopen the market reports say that the activists of the People’s Democratic Front are against it.

On July 5 this year, two Tamil traders from Moreh who had gone to Myanmar to attend a birthday celebration of a friend were gunned down. So far, the killers are still at large and the bereaved families do not know the motive behind the crime. But the incident had sent a warning and Indian traders are not venturing into Myanmar. Police and security forces are advising the Indian traders not to cross the border. Assam Rifles sources said that since there is a border seal-off even consumer items and other domestic uses should not be brought from across the International Border. There have been reports of huge seizures including anti-mosquito coils, canned fish, chicken and other items.

Mr. Brojendro said, “There is no ban on the Myanmar nationals from entering Moreh and doing the normal trade related works. Some of them have occupied the empty shops at Namphalong to sell their goods”. A woman trader from Manipur said, “Now, we have started getting all kinds of goods including consumer items at Moreh since over 500 Myanmar traders bring the same every morning without let or hindrance. The only hitch is that because of the changed scenario everything has become costlier.”