Apprehensions raised over border fencing
Source: The Sangai Express / Laishram Shamungou

Moreh, November 27: Even as the officials of BRO and Survey of India have arrived at the border town in connection with border fencing for over a distance of 10 kms to be carried out for the first time on the Manipur sector of the Indo-Myanmar International border at Moreh, apprehensions have been raised that the step being taken up to enhance governance might create artificial barriers and sow the seeds of enmity among the people who have been living in peace and mutual harmony in the border area.

On account of certain reservations on the part of its Myanmarese counterpart, the proposal of the Government of India to put up fencing along the 380 kms long Indo-Myanmar boundary that Manipur shares with Myanmar could not take off for many years.

However, after the recent visit of the Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta to Imphal it was decided that border fencing should be carried out 10 metres inside the controversial International boundary on Manipur side.

Subsequently, the officials started arriving at Moreh for the Risky Survey Trace Cutting work which was scheduled to begin from November 16.

Myanmarese couple make their way back home after selling goods at Moreh while a Moreh man ventures into Myanmar to fish

However, the step being taken up for border fencing has caused jitters in the hearts of the people living in the border area on either sides who fear that it may snap their relationship.

And this is not without reason.

Even before the signing of the Indo-Myanmar border trade agreement, people living in Moreh and its neighbouring Kabow Valley have not only been maintaining alliances through marriages but also looking after each others' needs for day-to-day survival without any restriction in crossing over the border since time immemorial.

People from Moreh also used to cultivate and graze their cattles at the very site where the Myanmarese Government have set up a market place at Namphalong today.

To be carried out following instructions from the Government of India for, the task of border fencing in the undisputed area is to begin from Border pillar no.79 to 81, covering over a distance of about 10 kms.

There used to be two border gates in this area, though only in name sake.

Talking to The Sangai Express, president of Manipur Muslim Council, Moreh Jeinul Abidin alias Nahamacha, who lives in Moreh Ward no.V, located just adjacent to Border Pillar No.79, informed that his family has been settled in the area since 1972.'In those days, people from either sides of border used to cross over without any restrictions.

In fact, six Kabow women have married to men of our community and settled here', Jeinul said.

At present too, people from Moreh cross over the border and go from one household to another in Myanmarese villages to sell Kerosene, Lungri and salt.

Similarly, traders from Myanmar come to Moreh bringing fish, cereal, flower plants, charcoal and rice.

After border fencing, all these activities would be stopped, he lamented.

It is said the rice being consumed by the people of Moreh sub-division are mainly brought in from Myanmar.

Despite being the staple food of the people, rice is not included in the list of the trade items of the ongoing Indo-Myanmar border trade.

After the border fencing, the villagers also feared that they would not be able to go and gather the fodder from Myanmar, as they used to do, for the cattles being reared in their houses.

People living in the Moreh Ward No.V also used to go upto Maklang river, running along the foothills of Ango mountain ranges of Myanmar for fishing without any restrictions.

However, after the introduction of the border trade, one has to get an entry ticket of Rs 10 for entering Tamu, the commercial hub of the neighbouring country, that also for some fixed hours.

Of course, taking advantage of the porous border one can sneaked into the neighbouring country illegally.

A woman who came all the way from Saong Nasi Village of Myanmar to Moreh, walking over a distance of 2 kms just to purchase some cosmetic products, papar and biscuits, observed that border fencing would cause lot of inconveniences to the people settling on either sides of the border.

A person who runs a school in Moreh said, ' Today, we have students from Namphalong and Tamu of Myanmar coming to schools in Moreh to study.

There are also teachers from Myanmar teaching in Moreh schools.

In fact, some of the schools in Moreh have started teaching Myanmarese language'.

According Prof Amar Yumnam of Economics Department of Manipur University, even if border fencing is intended to bring about some formality in the existing traditional and cultural relation of the people and enhance governance, the pertinent question that can be raised is what the Government has worked out for the welfare of the people living in the border area.

Without a proper planning and foresight, what is intended good for the people might become a disaster, he observed.

ADC Moreh Hopeson Chothe mentioned that several rounds of talks at various levels have been held in the past between the officials of both the neighbouring countries in connection with the proposal of border fencing, but Myanmarese side had always shown some reservations in this regard.