Delhi reduces Indo-Burmese border leeway to 10 miles

Wednesday, 01 September 2010 23:33 Salai Tun

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Indian government has reduced the extent to which people living along the Indo-Burmese border are allowed to enter the country from 40 kilometres (25 miles) to 16 kilometres (10 miles), a minister from the northeastern state of Mizoram said today.

The 40-kilometre leeway has been in place under since an Indo-Burmese agreement was reached just after Burma gained independence from Britain.

The central government without apparent reason passed down the regulation late last month, the state’s Home Minister R. Lalzirliana told local media.

“Previously, people living on the border were allowed to travel up to 40 kilometres across the border in the past. But they are now allowed to travel up to 16 kilometres only,” he said.

The Mizoram State government issued the regulation on border crossings and travel on Sunday, The Zozam Times website reported on Monday.

On the same day, the state’s Mizo Daily Vanglaini news website also reported the limit passed down to the Home Ministry of the state that runs contiguous with Chin State in Burma.

The limit was also reduced to 16 kilometres in Manipur State, an officer at the Inspector General of Police – Intelligence office in the state capital Imphal told Mizzima.

“I heard that it was reduced about four days ago … we don’t know yet the reason behind this new regulation … [which is] only for the people living along the border. Passport holders can travel as usual with a valid visa,” he said.

A Mizoram State government minister said the Burmese authorities had demanded the reduction of the limit at a border meeting last year and that no reasons for the demand had been offered to ministry officials, he said.

About 50,000 Burmese migrant workers are working as housemaids, textile weavers, goldsmiths, vendors, mechanics, restaurant service staff and road builders. They are frequently arrested by state police as they usually lack valid documents to stay in India.

Despite the new travel-limit regulation, people from Burma were still entering the state, Burmese living in Mizoram said.

The northeastern India states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram share a 1,020-mile (1,643-kilometre) border with Burma’s Arakan, Chin and Kachin states and its Sagaing Division.