Aizawl: Amid strong opposition from successive Mizoram governments and various civil society organisations in the state to the proposed fencing of the Mizoram-Myanmar border, Central Young Lai Association (CYLA) has endorsed the Centre’s plan to fence the international border, a CYLA leader said.
During a meeting with B. Shyam, a joint secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) border management division in charge of Myanmar and Bangladesh in Aizawl on Thursday, the organisation expressed their support for the Centre’s proposal to fence the 510-km Mizoram-Myanmar border, CYLA general secretary Joseph Lalhmingthanga Chinzah said.
He said that the organisation backed the border fencing plan because it would curb illegal influx and smuggling activities from the neighbouring country, which would subsequently reduce crime rate in Mizoram.
“Border fencing is the only solution to check illegal influx, smuggling of drugs and other contraband,” Joseph said.
He said that the association is also in favour of border fencing because rightful people will still be able to enter Mizoram or go to Myanmar legally through immigration checkposts.
He said that the organisation was worried not only about the illegal influx and smuggling of heroin and other contraband from the neighbouring country but also feared that Mizoram may turn into a human trafficking route if the border is not fenced and such activities are prevented.
The civil society leaders urged the joint secretary to immediately implement border fencing as the situation in the border areas became a cause for concern, he said.
The CYLA urged the Centre to establish immigration checkposts and expedite the implementation of regular border trade at
Zochachhuah or Zorinpui, the southern tip in Mizoram or entry point from Myanmar, is one of Mizoram’s proposed border trade centres, according to Joseph.
It also urged the Centre to establish commercial border haats
to facilitate smoother cross-border trade, he said.
The meeting with Shyam was positive as he acknowledged their concerns and assured them to look into the matter, Joseph said.
Six Mizoram districts- Lawngtlai, Champhai, Siaha, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual share a 510-km long border with Myanmar’s Chin state and the Chin people share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
According to the state home department, a total of 33,756 Myanmar nationals, including 12,784 children, are currently taking shelter in different parts of the state.
The Myanmar refugees have been taking shelter in the state since the military takeover in the neighbouring country in February 2021.
Earlier, the Mizoram government, civil society organisations and student bodies have strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and lift the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar because they believed that it would disturb cultural and familial ties with Myanmar’s Chin community.
The Mizoram assembly on February 28 passed a resolution opposing the Centre’s decision to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and abolish the FMR.
Recently, Chief Minister Lalduhoma told the Chin communities in the US that his government was strongly opposed to the fencing of the Mizoram-Myanmar border.
In February, the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations and student bodies, including Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest civil society body in the state, and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) staged a massive protest in Aizawl opposing the proposed border fencing and lifting of the FMR.
Similar protests were also organised by Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO), a group representing the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi tribes of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, at the Indo-Myanmar Friendship Gate in Zokhawthar village and Vaphai village in east Mizoram’s Champhai district.
Joseph further said that the CYLA also conveyed its full support for the implementation of the Act East Policy, under which the
Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) is being developed.
The KMMTT project was launched in 2008 under the erstwhile UPA government as part of Look East (Now Act East) policy.
The project, when completed, would first link the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata to the Sittwe seaport in Myanmar across the Bay of Bengal.
From Sittwe, the route will continue over river Kaladan to the western Myanmarese town of Paletwa.
Paletwa will then be connected to the India-Myanmar border by a 110-km-long road.
The international border (Zochachhuah or Zorinpui) will then be connected by an 88-km long road with Lawngtlai town.
Although the construction of a road component in Mizoram side was completed in June last year, a few stretches of the road were damaged by landslides triggered by rain this year, Mizoram PWD officials said.