Myanmar puts off border pact

Myanmar puts off border pact

Context:

• Myanmar has asked India for more time before the agreement to streamline the free movement of people within 16 km along the border is sealed.

Background:

• On January 3, 2018 the Union Cabinet had approved an agreement between India and Myanmar on land border crossing to enhance economic interaction between people of the two countries.
• To give it shape, the Centre had asked four States — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram that share the unfenced border with Myanmar to distribute “border pass” to all the residents living within 16 km from the border.
• But the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been deferred by Myanmar twice in the past seven months.
• India tried to again push the agreement in January when Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was in New Delhi with nine ASEAN leaders as chief guest for the Republic Day parade.

Reason for Myanmar’s reluctance:

• Myanmar is reluctant to sign the agreement due to domestic compulsions.
• They fear that if they sign the pact, the international agreement will have to be adhered to.

Provision of the proposal:

• As per the proposal, there would have been no restrictions on the movement of people across the borders.
• The domiciles were to be allotted border passes and those going across for agriculture, work or to meet relatives should carry the pass at all times.

Key fact:

• India and Myanmar share a 1,643 km unfenced border along Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km) and permit a ‘free movement’ regime upto 16 km beyond the border.