--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Entrepreneurs welcome border trade initiative
(2) Trade Seminar to Held at
(3) Feature) The Opposite
Side of Border Fence
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Entrepreneurs welcome
border trade initiative
=============================================
Nava Thakuria/Mizzima News
Guwahati: Northeast India-based
entrepreneurs have welcomed the recent
initiative of the union government
of
with
rupees to develop the Indo-Burma
trading point at Longwa, Nagaland,
to
boost cross-border trade between
the two neighboring countries.
"We welcomed the decision of the Commerce Ministry.
This kind of
initiative will definitely
encourage traders of the northeastern
region. It will also be helpful for
the common people, as the funds
allocated will be spent for
development of townships and improvement
of existing roads in the
locality," said Subhash Agarwal,
president
of the Federation of
Industries and Commerce for the North Eastern
Region (FINER).
Meanwhile, focus has been put on reopening the 2nd World War
highway,
between
highway from
General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, who headed
US forces in
eastern
connect
The Nagaland government was also demanding
declaration of Longwa as a
trading point to increase legal
trade with
Ministry approved the funds following a feasibility report
by the
Customs and Foreign Trade departments in
2003. The traders of both
countries have used the prescribed
trading point at Longwa for several
decades.
After Morey, Manipur, the Indian government has approved the
second
trading point with
Longwa.
"The sustainable cross-border trade will change the
economy of
trading points in the region with
it's neighboring countries like
Mero. Though covered by four important
countries,
only 12 trading points functioning
at the moment.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Trade Seminar to Held
at
=============================================
Surajit Khaund/Mizzima
News
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the
Commerce and Industry are organizing a seminar in
connection with the India-ASEAN car
rally, which will halt for the day
in
on the future prospects and
difficulties of ongoing trade.
The seminar will be inaugurated by Burmese
Minister of Commerce
Brigadier-Gen. Tin Naing Thein and Sports Minister
Brigadier General
Thura Aye Myint
will also attend the event.
A senior member of the CII, Abhijit
Barooah, said the seminar is aimed
at strengthening trade ties between
officials of Indian companies,
including NICCO, are participating in
the seminar," he added.
R.K. Bhatia, Indian Ambassador to
deliver a speech.
Meanwhile, trade bodies of
plans to make the rally a grand
success. Indo-Myanmar Traders
president W.N. Singh said the trade
body has engaged over 500
volunteers to welcome the
minister will escort the rally from
Moreh, a major trading point in
of the rally.
The trade seminar was organized in
closer and boost trade in coming
days. According to official
statistics, present trade between
5000 million (about US 116 million) ,
and both countries have agreed
to enhance the volume of trade up
to US$1 billion by 2006.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
(Feature) The
Opposite Side of Border Fence
============================================
Surajit Khaund
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
Lian comes to Champhai
early in the morning from
the evening to earn 50 to 100
rupees ( 43 rupees equals one US dollar).
The 15-year-old school dropout, a Chin ethnic girl, lives in
a village
just opposite Champhai,
but she comes regularly by walking and works
as a sex worker.
"I have been in this profession for the last two years
to support my
family. I got this connection from
one of my friends who is also a sex
worker," said Lian (her actual name is concealed).
Lian is not alone. There are
hundreds of Burmese sex workers in
Champhai and Zokhathar , small bordering
towns of northeast
becoming attracted to that
business. They come to nearby areas early
in the morning in quest of
customers.
Hundreds of Burmese girls living in bordering areas of the
country
have resorted to the path of the
flesh trade for their livelihood,
leading to serious health problems
among them. The problem has reached
such a magnitude that more and more
girls are involved in that
business, ignoring the AIDS threat
.
What is more alarming is that girls aged 13 to 15 have taken
this path
even though they are aware of the
AIDS threat. Though this has been
going on for the past several
years, the authorities concerned seem
aloof, failing to take any positive
action in this regard.
"We have to run this business so our parents can feed
us properly,"
Zina, a thin school-age girl, said
softly while her two friends were
talking to customers.
Despite repeated pleas, the girls refused to disclose their
identity,
saying they have been in this profession
to maintain their family
members. The girls have to enter
Sometimes they get stranded in the forest due to gearup operations by
security forces on both sides of
the border.
Although the Mizoram government
has already asked police to gear up
operations, fearing the spread of
AIDS, the move has very little
impact among the sex workers.
The girls also made a startling revelation, saying customers
can
manage everything by paying money,
and some don't want to use a condom.
Champhai police said the problem
is due to economic disparity and the
poor financial position of the
Burmese people. "The problem is serious
and we are trying to create
awareness among the Chin girls involved in
the flesh trade," he said.
The problem is also taking a serious turn in
a major trading points between
border town from Tamu,
sex with Indians. About 100 to 200
Burmese girls come to
depending on demand. Bur during the
festive season, more girls come to
the Moreh
area, a resident said.
Chitra Anthem, who runs Manipur
Positive, an NGO, observed that the
flesh trade has become a serious
problem in bordering areas of
Moreh, but this is a rough
estimate for which a proper survey is
required," she said. The
current population of Moreh is 15,800
according to official statistics.
.......................................................................
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