Mizoram Cutoms sieze one lakh kyat
By T Siamchinthang
Aizawl: Customs officials posted at Zokhawthar on the Indo-Myanmar
border seized seven lakh Myanmar Kyats from five Myanmarese on Sunday, a delayed
report from Champhai said. "Frustrated by the seizure of Myanmar Kyats, Rihkhawdar (inside Myanmar) police OC Tanswei blocked all kinds of goods from entering India which has adversely affected Champhai market," the report added.
Zokhawthar village council called a meeting on Monday in a
desperate attempt to bring the Indo-Myanmar trade to normal, in view of the fact that the border village would be worst hit if the stoppage of foreign goods continue.
The report said the Rihkhawdar OC is with the opinion that a stretch of 40 kilometers of both sides of the border is a free zone, that seizure of Myanmar Kyats at the border by Customs department against the rules. He was also quoted as saying that Indian rupees roamed freely inside Myanmar within the "free zone."
Champhai DC Lallungmuana also called a meeting today which was also attended by Custom superintendent Swamy to bring the situation to normal.
Only a few weeks back, Myanmar traders had put a brake on foreign goods entering Mizoram in protest against the establishment of new Taxation department checkgate at the border. The trade had been however resumed until this new incident.
Indian security forces and insurgents killed 391 civilians of Bangladeshi
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Indian border security force (BSF) and armed Indian gangsters have killed seven Bangladeshi
nationals on an average every month since October 2001.(The Bangladesh Today/UNB/ The Daily Star )
According to newspaper reports compiled by Odhikar, a human rights organization, BSF have shot dead at least 293 people since October 2001.
At least 315 Bangladeshi nationals were wounded in BSF firing during the period. Some 438 Bangladeshis were arrested, 440 kidnapped, 56 including 8 children went missing and six women were raped during the period, said the Odhikar report.
It said the fate of those kidnapped was not known. Besides, 36
incidents of mugging and looting by BSF backed Indian trespassers took place during the time.
The highest number of incidents occurred in 2002 when 105 Bangladeshi nationals were killed in BSF firing.
Killing by the BSF is on the rise despite assurance by BSF chief in occasional meetings with his BDR counterpart of maintaining peace along the 4,500km porous border.
The report said at least 35 Bangladeshi nationals were killed in the first four months of this year. Some 69 others were injured, 9 were arrested, 46 were abducted, five remained missing, one woman was violated and two incidents of looting took place during the period.
At least 104 people were killed and 66 injured in BSF firing during the last year. Some 78 Bangladeshis were abducted, 14 went missing, three women were raped and four incidents of looting took place during the year.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka yesterday again expressed concern over the 'killing' of a BSF personnel by the BDR on the river Ichhamati in Satkhira on Monday night.
Quoting investigations by the Indian authorities concerned, the High Commission in a press statement said a BSF patrol boat from border outpost Soladana while patrolling in the river seized 15 cattle-heads that were being smuggled into Bangladesh.
It claimed that the BSF patrol party was well inside the Indian territory and it came under "unprovoked fire from the BDR forces" from border outpost Padmashankar. "This resulted in the death of a BSF constable, Rajender Kumar Sharma."
It also expressed the High Commission's dismay at the "attempt by the BDR to provide protection to cattle smugglers while, at the same time, indulging in a disinformation campaign of shifting the blame on to the BSF for such incidents. That such actions by the BDR have led to the tragic loss of life of a BSF constable is particularly shocking."
The Higommission also emphasised the need for restraint and professional conduct by the BDR in order to ensure maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border.
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