Mizoram's border villagers depend on Myanmar for various essential commodities, drinks, bread, other food items and electronic gadgets, officials and locals said.
Border trade was halted after a vital bridge over the Run River, a vital link for importing goods from Tahan in Myanmar's Sagaing Division, was destroyed by the Myanmar military on June 8.
Local media reported that the Myanmar Army destroyed the bridge after armed civilian pro-democracy ethnic forces captured their (army) camps in Tonjang, Sikha and Tedim.
Thankunga Pachuau, leader of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), an influential NGO, said lesser quantities of essential goods were coming from Tahan through Falam town in Chin State through the alternative route, compared to the original route through Tedim. That's almost double the distance.
The travel distance of the alternative route has caused huge delays in the arrival of goods at Mizoram's border trade point Zokhawthar and other villages along the Myanmar border.Given the high carrying costs, prices of commodities including essential commodities, various beverages, bread, other food items and electronic gadgets have increased substantially, Pacuau said.
The YMA leader told the media that non-availability or low availability of essential commodities created serious problems for the poor people.
Tahan is a town in Kalaymyo District, Myanmar, which is home to a large Mizo population.
After the independence of Burma (now Myanmar) in 1948, or in search of better opportunities in the neighboring country, a large number of Mizo people migrated from Mizoram to Tahan, joining the army of the neighboring country.
The population of Tahan primarily speaks the Mizo language and is 99 percent Christian, while the overall Buddhist majority in Myanmar is 90 percent.Mizoram shares a 510 km long unfenced border with Myanmar and through this border, legal and illegal trade is taking place regularly.
Various trade organizations are demanding development of infrastructure at the Zokhawthar border trade center to promote legal trade.
Border trade was halted after a vital bridge over the Run River, a vital link for importing goods from Tahan in Myanmar's Sagaing Division, was destroyed by the Myanmar military on June 8.
Local media reported that the Myanmar Army destroyed the bridge after armed civilian pro-democracy ethnic forces captured their (army) camps in Tonjang, Sikha and Tedim.
Thankunga Pachuau, leader of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), an influential NGO, said lesser quantities of essential goods were coming from Tahan through Falam town in Chin State through the alternative route, compared to the original route through Tedim. That's almost double the distance.
The travel distance of the alternative route has caused huge delays in the arrival of goods at Mizoram's border trade point Zokhawthar and other villages along the Myanmar border.Given the high carrying costs, prices of commodities including essential commodities, various beverages, bread, other food items and electronic gadgets have increased substantially, Pacuau said.
The YMA leader told the media that non-availability or low availability of essential commodities created serious problems for the poor people.
Tahan is a town in Kalaymyo District, Myanmar, which is home to a large Mizo population.
After the independence of Burma (now Myanmar) in 1948, or in search of better opportunities in the neighboring country, a large number of Mizo people migrated from Mizoram to Tahan, joining the army of the neighboring country.
The population of Tahan primarily speaks the Mizo language and is 99 percent Christian, while the overall Buddhist majority in Myanmar is 90 percent.Mizoram shares a 510 km long unfenced border with Myanmar and through this border, legal and illegal trade is taking place regularly.
Various trade organizations are demanding development of infrastructure at the Zokhawthar border trade center to promote legal trade.