It has been over a month since the Indian Government blocked goods from Myanmar from going through Border Trade Bridge No. 2, from Rikhawdar Town, Falam Township, Chin State.
The export of goods from Myanmar’s Rikhawdar Town to Zokhawthar Town in India’s Mizoram State, have been blocked by the Indian authorities since 25 July 2024, when India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started an investigation into a complaint regarding the illegal importation of dried betel nuts from Rikhawdar Town.
While people from both countries are still allowed to cross the border bridge freely, India has prohibited the export of goods from the Myanmar side both on the bridge and at all other border trade posts on the Myanmar India border.
This has caused problems for some locals. For instance, those who rely on border trade for their livelihood, such as manual laborers who transport goods across the bridge, are now facing unemployment and livelihood crises.
A Rikhawdar Town resident said: "There are many manual labourers who transport goods at the border. Before the current restrictions, they earned an average of around 200,000 MMK per week. Now, with Mizoram no longer allowing exports from Myanmar, there is almost no work available for them. Although they are taking on other low-paid manual labor jobs, they are struggling to earn even 10,000 MMK per day.”
Rikhawdar Town is heavily dependent on border trade and about 300 of its inhabitants normally work as labourers carrying goods across the border.
It is not only the residents of Rikhawdar Town suffering due to the trade blockade. On the Indian side, inhabitants of Zokhawthar Town and its surrounding villages are also facing unemployment and high commodity prices because of the trade blockade.
About 400 people in Zokhawthar Town are normally employed as labourers to carry goods across the border, but according to the Zokhawthar Transport Union (ZTU) these workers are currently unemployed because of the blockade.
The suspension of border trade has led to a decrease in border traffic meaning that restaurants, shops and motorcycle taxis operating in the border areas have experienced drops in customer numbers and incomes.
