MOREH(Manipur-Myanmar border) April 30 —The bilateral relations with Myanmar has significantly improved due to certain initiatives taken by the Ministry of External affairs. “We are pleased to note this achievement”, Manipur Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said. The initiatives should, however, be carried forward to enable the North Eastern States to draw benefits from the trade with the South East Asian countries through, Moreh, international trade centre in Manipur bordering Myanmar.
What the Chief Minister said during his address in the 50th meeting of the National Development Council held on December 21 in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is partly right as regards the cross border trade with Myanmar. As far as free trade is concerned the NE States, particularly Nagaland and Manipur stand to lose in trade with Myanmar and other countries of south-east Asia if the present chaotic condition in the region continues. The NE States Nagaland and Manipur in particular, were viewed very doubtfully by the international community because of the disruption in the transport services and frequent bandhs.
Stating this, the president of the Indo-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, Indrasen, who attended a conference on Indo-Myanmar free trade in Rangoon (Myanmar) recently, alleged that the role of these two state governments over the Indo-Myanmar border trade at Moreh and other places of the region is not encouraging. Road conditions and frequent disruption of transport services due to bandhs, blockades and other inter and external disturbances have also posed a grave threat to this effect. Indrasen said that the south east Asian countries - Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand – have grave doubts about trade with India through Manipur and Nagaland due to extortion by anti-social elements and improper regulation of the transportation charges. Cautioning that if the state of affairs continues, Manipur and Nagaland will face big trouble in the future, he said, if free trade with India can be routed through these States, the results will be positive. Concerning the Indo-Myanmar tourism through the NE states, he said recently a consulate general of Myanmar was opened at Kolkata, which will make it easier for pilgrims from Myanmar and other south east Asian countries to visit places of religious interest in India. Indians, on the other hand, can travel up to Mandalay without visa, he said.
India’s green signal to trade with Myanmar by declaring a free trade zone at Moreh will improve the socio-economic condition of the Manipur and rest of the NE states. This was stated by Prof. Amar Yumnam, of the department of economics, Manipur University in the first of a series of talks being organized by the Imphal Development Society, Manipur, on the short and long-term measures to tackle the present socio-economic crisis in Manipur here recently. Observing that though the development of trade and commerce is the key for a state to make progress, he said in the case of Manipur the response is negative as it is not a free trade zone. He appealed to the people of the region to demand of the Indian government to bring trade in Manipur under the Union ministry of trade and commerce, rather than keeping it under the control of the ministry of defence and the ministry of home affairs, and to allow free trade in the real sense of the term.