New Delhi – India's northeastern state of Mizoram, bordering Burma's Chin state, on Monday sealed-off the international boundary between the two countries in preparation for Tuesday's elections.
The deputy commissioner for Mizoram's Champhai district on Monday issued an order to close the 404 kilometer long Indo-Burma border for security purposes, PC Lal Duhthlanga, a sub-divisional police officer at the Champhai police station told Mizzima.
"We are going to have an election. For this purpose, all international and state boundaries will be closed," Duhthlanga said.
According to him, the border, closed at 5:00 a.m. Monday morning, will not reopen until 5:00 p.m. Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Mizoram state will elect 40 members to the Mizoram Legislative Assembly. Over 600,000, of an estimated population of over 900,000 in the state, are expected to cast votes, according to news reports.
Meanwhile, Duhthlanga said the state government has also deployed additional security, including Mizoram police and Assam Rifles, along the border, and particularly at trade point No. 2, which links Zokhuathar village in Mizoram with Haimual village in Chin state – to try and prevent any crossing of traders and smugglers during election day.
"Assam Rifles and Mizoram police personnel are deployed along the border. One police post and Assam Rifles post are stationed on the main road [Indo – Burma border trade road (2)]," he added.
However, unlike with previous elections, when Burmese and other outsiders were forcibly evicted, arrested and deported from the state, so far the Mizoram government has not arrested any Burmese migrant workers because "there is no threat from foreigners to interfere in the polling," Duhthlanga said.
He commented that security in the state remains normal and that ballot boxes will be placed in all constituencies including areas known to be infested by Burmese rebels such as the Zomi Reunification Army (ZRA), Zomi Reunification Organization (ZRO) and Chin National Confederation (CNC).
"There is no movement or activity among armed groups such as the ZRA, ZRO and CNC this year," he added.
The closure of the border impacts border trade between India and Burma, which is one of the main lifelines for businesses in Mizoram, as most merchants and traders heavily rely on goods and commodities imported from Burma.
"The border seal includes trade activities. Except security personnel, no one can cross the border," a Champhai police officer told Mizzima by telephone.
However, unlike other times when the border has been closed due to conflicts or misunderstandings, the closure this time, say several Burmese traders in the state, will not have much impact on business.
"We don't think there will be a major impact on our business because the border seal will only be in place for two or three days," a Burmese trader from Aizawl, capital of Mizoram, told Mizzima.
In contrast, when the borders were closed for nearly two months earlier in June and July of this year, commodities in Mizoram, including in the capital, rose sharply, according to the local business community.
