MIZZIMA News: Challenges on Indo-Bu

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Subject: MIZZIMA News: Challenges on Indo-Burma border

Challenges on the Indo-Burma border:
Burmese army entered into Indian territory

MIZZIMA News Group
August 11, 1999

In what could be described as a continuing intrusion into Indian
territory, the Burmese army entered into 300 meters inside Indian
territory last week, said a local newspaper in Manipur State today.
Citing the senior intelligence officials based in Mizoram State, the
Imphal Free Press newspaper said that the Burmese army patrol unit
entered into Indian territory in Chhimtuipui District at the
India-Bangladesh-Burma tri-junction last week while chasing a group of
Arakan Muslim rebel.

According to the report, the Arakan Muslim armed group had kidnapped and
later killed a local trader in Arakan State whom they claim was an
informer of the Burmese army. In retaliation, Burmese army attacked the
rebels and entered into Indian territory ?accidentally?. During the
attack, the Burmese soldiers killed two of the rebels.

Reports of intrusion and illegal encroachment of Indian territory by the
Burmese army soldiers have been in the news for some years. According to
Imphal-based Manipur Cultural Integration Conference (MCIC), the Border
Pillar No.66, which was erected in 1969-70 at Molcham sector in Chandel
District of Manipur State had been destroyed by the Burmese soldiers and
that a new pillar had been erected in its place deep inside Manipur?s
territory some years back.

The continued intrusion and illegal occupation of portions of Indian
territory through ?unethical? means was a great worry for some
influential citizens in Manipur State of India. In an interview with
MIZZIMA, Dr. R. K. Rajan Singh, Assistant General Secretary of MCIC,
said that Burmese soldiers frequently enter into Manipur?s territory
without any restraints and sometimes continue to stay for days inside
Indian territory.

?I don?t know whether the Army junta of Burma does it intentionally or
not. The fact is that they have entered very frequently into our
territory without any restraints?, said Dr. R. K. Rajan who is also
editor of MCIC?s quarterly journal ?Regional Integration?.

India is sharing a 1643 kilometer-long border with Burma in its eastern
flank. Manipur and Mizoram alone share 908 kilometer-international
border with Burma. The two countries completed almost all of its
boundary demarcation officially in March 1976 except in
India-China-Burma tri-junction part.

It may be recalled here that historically the members of hill tribes on
both sides of the border of India and Burma were exempted from the
provisions of the passport rules if they traveled within 40 kilometers
of the other side of the border. However, the exemption was revoked when
the Nagas and Mizos had intensified their armed rebellions against the
Indian government and Burma border was sued as a safe passage for these
insurgents particularly after 1966-67. The then Indian Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi informed the Indian Parliament on November 13, 1968 that:
?Movement across the India-Burma border within a zone of 40 kilometers
on either side which was earlier freely permissible is being regulated
since 1-8-1968 through a system of permit?.

However, according to a news report of All India Radio in Manipuri
language last week, the people from both sides (either army or
civilians) can enter up to 16 kilometers of the other side of the border
without any permit. This was decided during the recent Home Ministerial
meeting between the two countries, which was held on July 28-30 in New
Delhi, said the AIR report.

Moreover, the two countries, in the same meeting, agreed ?to review the
work relating to the maintenance of the boundary pillars on the
Indo-Burma boundary and that the Surveyor Generals of the two countries
would meet shortly to work out an action plan in this regard?.


MIZZIMA News Group