Tamu border trade to resume promptly in line with health guidelines

Tamu border trade route

Published 22 December 2020

Aung Thu Tun (Kalay)

Border trade (Tamu) between India and Myanmar will resume as soon as possible in accord with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Sports.

“The union minister for commerce urged the resumption of border trade in line with the Covid guidelines and rules by making bilateral communications. In the coming week, the regional government and the minister will hold a meeting. Due to trade closures, merchants are making losses. There are fewer and fewer local job opportunities. Illegal trade increases. This is why we submit our reports to resume trade officially. We will do in line with the health ministry’s guidelines. Border trade will surely resume,” said Hla Maung, chairman of Border Trade Merchants Association (Tamu).

The suspension of Tamu border trade for nearly nine months has led to loss and damage to commodities and great commercial losses to merchants.

Lower House MP Naing Naing Win for Tamu Township said: “The association submitted a letter to the Ministry of Commerce for trade resumption. The region committee for Covid-19 prevention and control did not allow it. When the central committee was requested for this, it told the regional committee that border trade should be resumed after calling a meeting. Now the central committee is planning to allow trade resumption between the two countries.”

He added that border trade resumption should not target rich merchants alone as the town has a lot of daily-wage earners.

As Nanfarlon Market in Tamu which relies on the people from the Indian border remains closed, local people reliant upon the market are facing financial problems. Meanwhile, illegal trade has caused concern for Covid-19 infection.

“I want the market to re-open as quickly as possible. We must consider how the shops from Nanfarlon Market can sell their products to the other country. The market has been closed for over nine months. The government has closed the border trade to curb Covid-19 infection but we are seeing illegal trade there. I would like the government to open the market as well,” said the MP.