Indo-Myanmar Borderland
- Part 1 -

Paisho Keishing *

Indo-Myanmar border near Moreh (border pillar #79 and #81 covering a distance of 10 Kms) in July 2013 :: Pix - Somerendro Sorokhaibam

Many a times I have crossed the Indo- Myanmar border through porous border at Namlee village in Ukhrul district and international market at Moreh in Manipur without any legal documents. None of the security force from India or Myanmar ever checked me like a foreigner due to similarity or likeness of facial features with people from either side.

But one day, when I was talking to a Myanmarese medical doctor in English, hearing the language we spoke, one immigrant officer came and asked me "from where you are coming?' I said, 'I am from borderland of Manipur'. Then, he asked me again who gave the permission to enter. I answered, 'My face gave me permission to enter, what is the difference between you and me; we are brothers, divided by political boundary.'

I told the immigrant officer that he is also allowed to enter Manipur and nobody will charge him as a foreigner. He tried to arrest me but the district officer intervened and released me from unnecessary trouble. So, peoples from both sides understand that political boundary is irrelevant for us, boundaries will be meaningless for the people of borderland, and sovereignty is already leaked in globalisation.

In 1970s to 1990s, there were strict rules and regulations. Whosoever crossed the boundaries were arrested and handed over to security forces of both sides. Interaction with the border peoples from both sides has been going on for last many centuries. Border walling needs to be seriously thought for both sides, it may be an extravaganza for a poor state.

I presumed someday border wall will be dismantled by multiple reasons and it will not last long. There is a mutual understanding from both sides that we are one. As a person living along Indo -Myanmar border at Ukhrul district, Manipur, I am writing some facts and my experiences in this article.

Political Geography Of Indo- Myanmar Borderland: Indo–Myanmar borderland consists of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram in India and Chin, Sagaing Devision and Kachin state in Myanmar. It can be considered as a "micro region". Indo- Myanmar has 1643 km of political boundary line situated in the conjunction of China, India and Myanmar.

Indo- Myanmar borderland region shares deep historical and cultural affinities since time immemorial but for approximately 60 years there was a water tide compartment due to psychological fear of the security forces from both countries, regional politics, balance of power, international systems of complex anarchical world.

From time immemorial we live together without boundaries but the recent creation of international boundaries has created huge differences among the fraternal people of the region and divided among us by the different ideologies like during cold war. The end of cold war and democratization in many fields had reduced differences, reunited and rebuilt the distorted relationship and brought together in the same cultural civilization in this region.

The borderland cultural, economic relations with contiguous Sagaing Division, Kachin and Chin state of Myanmar with Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh are likely flourish in the 21st century. The borderland studies turning into centre of attention for numbers of reason both old and new and further accelerated by the arrival of democracy in Myanmar.

Climatic condition of the border region is sub topical climate which cause hidden diseases malaria, typhoid etc, is antic now. The cause of this entire thing is lack of communication, medical treatment, health care and economic support. There are significant transformations taking place in the borderland of Indo- Myanmar in the past two decades- it changing the way the region sees itself and the other see it.

There is a paradigm shift in the way nation state look at their borders from security frontier to concept such as "land bridges", "doorway" "gateway" "highway of Asia", corridor or the natural gateway to South East Asia and China. The borderland have regained in their importance in policy makers, academician, strategic analyzers etc. both adopted market economy leading to major impact on the borderland. Cooperation in diverse area such as environment such as forest, social -culture, education etc. are the need of hours.

The borderland is geographically separated from city living in unapproachable physical areas such as dense forests, hill and mountains. It is difficult for establish relations with others, hence social and economically far war away from civilized places. These kinds of physical and social isolation or seclusion have contributed more deteriorating condition in borderland areas plus border walling will contribute permanent departure for both human and animals in the border.

ETHNICITIES IN BORDERLAND: Indo– Myanmar Borderland has the ethno linguistic affinity both side assume, "……. Burma an anthropologist paradise" Borderland a homes of diverse ethnic minority peoples largely as wary and ignorant of the central government now and then. Several hundreds of miles of border remained entirely un-demarcated. When we think seriously and closely in social and genesis, they are not foreigner nor are we foreign people for them in the borderland.

Border was demarcated according to geographical condition as well as without the concern of the people. Why there was under development in the borderland in Myanmar? It is due to a failed or failing state, repressive and unable to cope with looming humanitarian challenges, living in conflict traps.

Indo- Myanmar borderland is one of the most Asian ethnically and religiously diverse people, over one hundred ethno – linguistic groups and sub groups. Ethnic groups in the north east India have linkage across international borders. A numbers of ethnic groups trace their roots back to the region in Yunnan in China and the Shan in Myanmar.

For instance many Naga tribe in Nagaland and Manipur in India found also on the other sides of the border of Myanmar also Kukis and Chin of Manipur and Mizoram respectively. The histories of migration of many ethnic groups are still preserved in folklore, cultural, artifacts and language among other things and it has been across what is today and the Myanmar boundaries that many of these migration have taken place.

This ethnic and historical connection have not been entirely broken in the post- colonial periods, rather they have preserved in many instances and adopted to the changed circumstance created by international boundaries or in many instances ignored such artificial lines together.

There is an identity that borderland enjoys as a region which can extends to includes with Myanmar and the rest of South East Asia. Historical, cultural and ethnic connection has remained strong in this part even if inter ethnic and inters- ethnic feuds are common and more often than not violent.

Further the people of borderland bracket as all belonging to "mongoloid" ethnicity and in other parts of India, These borderlands people have common culture, history, identities, the superstructure like political ideology, legal manmade, border walling are stumbling block of International Relations.

To be continued...