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Indo-Burma border news (r)



Indo-Burma border news
 
 
Border trade at Moreh frozen even as officials agree 
to try & resolve crisis soon
 
Imphal, Oct. 13: The Chandel deputy commissioner, S. Budhachandra Singh 
and the District Superintendent of Police, S Manglemjio will meet their 
Myanmarese counterparts soon to try and resolve the situation resulting 
from Saturday night's incidents.
 
The meeting is to take place at the immigration office at Tamu on
Wednesday.
 
Both officials, who visited Moreh yesterday, were summoned to Imphal today 
to brief the chief secretary H Jelshyam in detail on the events at border
town.
 
The chief secretary told Imphal Free Press (IFP) he would have a detailed 
report for the Union home ministry by tomorrow.
 
The Myanmarese authorities had sealed the international border and closed
the 
border gates after suspected intruders from the Indian side set fire to
the 
Namphalong market complex, just across from Moreh gate No.2 and killed  
at least six Myanmarese including four securitymen, late on the night of 
October 11.
 
Jelshyam disclosed the Wednesday's contact point meeting between the 
district-level officials would fix the agenda and dates for a flag meeting
at
 the ministerial level.
 
The Indian representative for the flag meeting would be decided after
discussion 
with the Union home ministry and the external affairs ministry jelshyam
said.
 
Meanwhile, additional reinforcements have been rushed to Moreh and
adequate 
security measures taken to deal with any eventuality, according to the 
DIG (hills range). A Romankumar.
 
Massive security deployment was observed on the Myanmarese side.
 
No untoward incident was reported today, but with the border continuing to 
be sealed, cross border trade remained at a stand-still and tension
prevailed 
among the residents of Moreh.
 
Though the Moreh morning market was held, it was very poorly attended 
both today and yesterday.
 
Imphal Free Press, Manipur
Date-14.10.97
 
********************************************************
 
Flag level meets with Myanmarese officials on Oct. 16
 
Imphal, Oct 14: The Deputy Commissioner, Chandel, S. Budhachdra Singh 
has clarified  That only three persons were wounded on the Myanmarese
side. 
In Saturday's accident at Tamu In which the Nanphalong market complex 
was burnt down. 
 
The DC said, this was disclosed to him by Myanmarese authorities during
his
 meetings with them yesterday and on Sunday. 
 
Budhachandra also revealed that the divisional chairman of the law and
order 
council for Saggaing division would arrive tomorrow in Moreh for a flag
level 
meeting with an India counterpart. The meeting is scheduled for October
16.
     
The DC, along with the SP, Chandel, had met the chairman of the 
Tamu township law and order restoration council and the Tamu 
district law and order restoration council on Sunday and Monday.
 
According to Budhachandra, the Myanmarese authorities blamed the incident 
on Kuki militants from the India side. They pointed out to him that
barbwire 
fencing on the international border was found cut, he told IFP.
 
He was also informed that 365 shops at the Namphalong market were 
completely destroyed in the blaze, along with property worth several crore
 rupees.
 
Quoting the Myanmarese authorities, he said the suspected militants opened 
fire on the Tamu immigration office, next to the market complex, just
before 
setting the latter on fire. Two security personnel and a watchman were
injured
 in the firing.
 
The militants used AK-47, G-2 M-16 and US -made carbines in the attack.
 
The Union home ministry and external affairs ministry have already been 
faxed a detailed report on the incident by the chief secretary H Jelshyam. 
       
A reply is expected by tomorrow according to the Chief Secretary. 
The situation in Moreh, meanwhile, remained under control even as
 heightened security arrangements remained in place.
 
The Myanmarese have already started reconstruction of the Namphalong
 Market. However, the border is to remain sealed for at least one month.
 Business at the Moreh market is expected to suffer as a result.
 
It may be recalled that the Tamil traders in Moreh had objected
strenuously
to the opening of the Namphalong complex and even appealed to the custom 
authorities to have gate no. 2 closed. 
 
Another attempt to set the market complex has been foiled some time ago.
 
 
 
Imphal Free Press, Manipur
Date-15.10.97