People-to-people contact endorsed
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India
Kohima, December 02 2012:
An international conference here today laid emphasis on enhancing people-to-people to contact on priority basis by both the governments of India and Myanmar.
The day-long conference on 'India's North-east: The bridgehead between Myanmar and India,' also emphasised on increasing cooperation in services such as higher and technical education, health care, tourism and cultural exchange between the two neighbours.
The deliberation attended by 15 MPs, MLAs, academics and civil society members from Myanmar called for timely completion of development projects in Myanmar and the north-east by the Indian government.
It also urged the chief ministers of the region to play a crucial role in timely execution of such ambitious projects.
Addressing the conference, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said that geo-political considerations, historical cultural and ethnic affinities have all came together to make the north-east the natural land bridge between India and south-east Asia, through Myanmar.
Myanmar is the only ASEAN neighbour which shares border with four states� Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
Highlighting certain areas of cooperation and infrastructure building, Rio asserted that the Centre must focus development efforts to sustain stronger ties with the neighbouring countries, and especially Myanmar, as key to breaking the geo-political isolation of the north-east.
Coinciding with the on-going week-long annual Hornbill festival, the conference was jointly organised by Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata and Tampadipa Institute, Yangoon and supported by ministry of external affairs and Nagaland government.
"The north-east would greatly benefit from expanding opportunities in Myanmar where gradual political reforms after decades of military rule have paved the way for foreign investment," the Nagaland chief minister said.
Rio pointed out that the North-east combining with Myanmar have the world's largest bio-diversity hotspot, a treasure trove of rare medicinal plants and herbs and also rich in traditional medicines.
"This has potential to change the profiles of pharmaceutical industries," he said.
The chief minister pointed out that the region might not be able to sustain heavy industries, but agri and allied sectors have the potential of turning the north-east into India's premier food bowl.
He expressed his happiness over the Centre's decision to open another border trade point in Nagaland sector of the border in addition to the existing two centres at Moreh (Manipur) and Zowkhatar (Mizoram) but urged the ministries concerned of both the countries to make the proposed Avakhung-Pangsat/Somra trade centre operationalise at the earliest.
Rio asserted that the governments of India and Myanmar should continue to maintain the "policy of open border." particularly in Nagaland sector, because the international boundary divides some Naga tribes.
"They have to cross the border for their daily needs but there has not been any instance of migration from either side.
This fact has to be kept in mind by the policy makers of both the countries," Rio emphasised.
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