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Road to Myanmar: But Manipur villag



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                            Road To Myanmar

                   But Manipur village issues ignored

The Statesman editorial (New Delhi)
February 23, 2001

What makes Jaswant Singh's visit to Myanmar significant is that he
traveled to Yangon via Imphal and inaugurated the 160-km Tamu-Kalemyo
road built by the Indian Border Road Task Force. India is already
engaged in constructing roads, bridges and railways in the neighbouring
country. Trade through the Indian border town of Moreh was made legal in
1995 and people of the two countries are allowed to visit Moreh and Tamu
for a day without any travel documents. Not only will the new road help
boost trade, it will also be part of the pan-Asian highway leading up to
Yangon via Mandalay. There are plans to introduce a weekly bus service
between Moreh and Kalewa in Myanmar.

It is indeed surprising that New Delhi has not thrashed out the issue of
Manipur's tiny Molcham and Tuivang villages to cement good-neighbourly
relations. Tuivang village, which till 1963 paid taxes to Manipur, is no
longer considered part of India following the mysterious disappearance
of border pillar No 66. After a visit to Molcham in 1982, a Manipur
Cultural Integration Committee team alleged that the villagers were
often subjected to "threats, intimidation and oppression by Myanmarese
security forces". Molcham assumes significance because the World War II
Tamu-Kalewa road passes through the village. The MCIC's suggestion for
building two or three "bridges of friendship" to linkthe two Myanmarese
towns without touching Molcham is worth consideration. A new Molcham
police station is reportedly awaiting inauguration. One wonders if any
minister will now be prepared to visit Molcham, which involves a two-day
journey, part of which is through Myanmarese territory. This negligence
will only reduce the new police station to a mere symbol of India's
authority over the village.




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<center><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+3>Road To Myanmar</font></font></b>
<p><font color="#FF6600"><font size=+2>But Manipur village issues ignored</font></font></center>

<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>The Statesman editorial (New Delhi)</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>February 23, 2001</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>What makes Jaswant Singh's visit to Myanmar significant
is that he traveled to Yangon via Imphal and inaugurated the 160-km Tamu-Kalemyo
road built by the Indian Border Road Task Force. India is already engaged
in constructing roads, bridges and railways in the neighbouring country.
Trade through the Indian border town of Moreh was made legal in 1995 and
people of the two countries are allowed to visit Moreh and Tamu for a day
without any travel documents. Not only will the new road help boost trade,
it will also be part of the pan-Asian highway leading up to Yangon via
Mandalay. There are plans to introduce a weekly bus service between Moreh
and Kalewa in Myanmar.</font>
<p><font size=+1>It is indeed surprising that New Delhi has not thrashed
out the issue of Manipur's tiny Molcham and Tuivang villages to cement
good-neighbourly relations. Tuivang village, which till 1963 paid taxes
to Manipur, is no longer considered part of India following the mysterious
disappearance of border pillar No 66. After a visit to Molcham in 1982,
a Manipur Cultural Integration Committee team alleged that the villagers
were often subjected to "threats, intimidation and oppression by Myanmarese
security forces". Molcham assumes significance because the World War II
Tamu-Kalewa road passes through the village. The MCIC's suggestion for
building two or three "bridges of friendship" to linkthe two Myanmarese
towns without touching Molcham is worth consideration. A new Molcham police
station is reportedly awaiting inauguration. One wonders if any minister
will now be prepared to visit Molcham, which involves a two-day journey,
part of which is through Myanmarese territory. This negligence will only
reduce the new police station to a mere symbol of India's authority over
the village.</font>
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