Balancing Border Security and Human Rights: A Case Study of the India-Myanmar Border

The Impact of Border Policies on Local Communities: Examine how various border policies affect the people living in border areas.

Borders are not just lines but zones that situate the jurisdiction of more than one state. By creating the idea of the other, a nation develops the feeling of nationalism. Thus, the cartographic lines have shaped the lives of the people, especially the local communities who share these boundaries. However, it is imperative to understand that these communities on one hand facilitate trade through informal cross-border and cultural exchanges[1] but on the other hand, they are often succumbed to atrocities due to widespread terrorism as well as government policies for border security which might not favor the livelihood of the people near the border.

Above image: India’s International Borders and Coasts

Source: https://ensureias.com/blog/internal-security/security-challenges-and-border-management-in-india

In this article, we thus address the importance of border security in India by comprehending the complex topographical landscape of the country. Moreover, it will also highlight the questions of how though the local communities are most affected in the region especially due to the dynamic government policies which on a large scale benefit the whole state, subsequently has affected the population near these boundaries. Also, it will discuss how the humanitarian aspect of border security should be kept in mind and how the issues can be solved at the grassroots level.

BORDER SECURITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS:

Border security in India is an integral part of the nation’s sovereignty by maintaining and regulating the country. Unlike other countries, India faces unique challenges due to its geographic location including rich coastlines and mountainous terrain. In this view, effective border security is essential to curb cross-border terrorism, ensure territorial integrity and protect national interests. India has 14,880 kilometers (about 9246 mi) of land border running through 92 districts in 17 States and a coastline of 5,422 kilometers (about 3369.07 mi) touching 12 States and Union Territories.[2] The topographical diversity that exists in the nation is what makes the border security at times peculiar. Some regions are easily negotiable and porous whereas others are un-demarcated and lack proper physical management due to harsh terrain constraints and lack of accountability. The geographical distinctiveness is accompanied by a mixture of several cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious affinities which in comparison to the mainland accounts for different points of divergence.

Moreover, the task of border security faces many challenges, and the main reasons include lack of concrete local administration and low visibility leading to illegal influx of migrants, smuggling of arms and ammunitions and emergence of non-state actors[3]. Thus, border security not only at the national level but also at the regional level stands an essential and vital part of a country’s wellbeing. Besides border guarding forces and other Central Government agencies, States’ Civil Administration, the border population is the most important ingredient in border management.[4] The former is what we know as the official management for border security. However, the border population acts as the additional visual and auditory governance in these areas by contributing towards the socio-economic influences in border regions. [5]

BORDER POPULATION AND THEIR GREIVANCES:

The local population near the borders own possession of first-hand knowledge of the region, being aware of suspicious activities and knowing about the potential security threats. Through this, they aid in intelligence gathering along the border and even distribute the information to law enforcement agencies as they can tap into the local networks and community influence, creating a more robust security infrastructure. Inversely, the socio-economic conditions which include economic disparities and lack of opportunities in the region results into the area becoming more prone to unlawful and criminal pursuit such as drug smuggling, human trafficking, and trade.

As discussed earlier, government policies play a crucial role in influencing the lives of the local communities and ineffectiveness of the same leads to hindering their conditions near the border. This especially happens when the state ignores the valuable perspectives and knowledge of these communities when forming and reformulating border policies. Such a situation leads to inadequate engagement, limited trust-building and decreased socio-economic support undermining their potential contributions to situational awareness, information sharing and community cooperation.

THE CASE OF INDIA-MYNMAR BORDER:

Historically, the North-eastern part of India along with the Burmese region had been under the governance of Burma (now Myanmar) before the British threw them away. Later, the Treaty of Yandaboo was formed in order to demarcate the boundaries of these two regions and these still exist today. Despite the division of these two areas, the people on either side of the border shared similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds, making them feel connected. The main population that habits remain the tribal groups such as the Nagas in Nagaland and Burma[6], the Mizos in Mizoram, the Chins in Myanmar and even Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur[7].

In the contemporary times, under Narendra Modi’s government in 2018 the Free Movement regime[8] had been adopted as a part of the Act East Policy so that India develops connection with its neighbor, Myanmar and the local communities near the border develop a sense of belongingness while being in contact with the cross-border tribal partners. Nevertheless, the long 1643 km boundary became the hotspot of illegal migration, unlawful trade of animals, narcotics, drugs, human trafficking, and other hostile activities due to the 2021 coup of Myanmar followed by an ongoing civil war as well as the internal conflicts in the north-eastern region, especially in Manipur. Nearly 80,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Myanmar live in India, 53,000 of them since the 2021 coup. Mizoram alone hosts half of them — 40,000 refugees — according to 2023 data from the UNHCR [9].

Furthermore, due to the recent unstable and hostile political environment in this area, the Indian government before the 2024 general elections had announced the requirement of scrapping the ‘Free Movement Regime’ at the Indo-Myanmar border to protect the internal security of the nation. This decision has received various pushbacks from both the ethnic groups and even allies of the BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) government in two states[10].  Mizoram’s Home Minister K Sapdanga had shown his concern by passing a statement of how the local population been dreaming of the reunification of both the regions and the border fencing is shattering the hopes. [11] As for Myanmar, the National Unity Government (NUT) has expressed this issue as humanitarian crisis due to robust historical and culture link between the two regions.

It is imperative to note that the ‘Free Movement Regime’ (FMR) policy was initiated to bring in peace and stability in the north-eastern region which otherwise is harder to manage due to ancient colonial alienation of the state in the country. Nevertheless, due to the outrage of civil war in both India and Myanmar has caused the fencing of this boundary which in turn resulted into affecting the lives of thousands of people across the two nations which are divided by the border but united by history and culture.

KEY TAKEAWAYS AND CONCLUSION

The cartographic lines that form the boundary of a country create a feeling of nationalism due to the formation of ‘one’s own state’ and the ‘other’ state. Nevertheless, the demarcation of these lines often divides the people along the boundary without realizing the impact that local communities must face for the greater good of the country’s internal security. Thus, policing in India with its British institutional legacy is disliked and suspected by its citizens. The general feeling amongst the local population and the local government is that the Central forces personnel are unaware of the sentiments of the local people, which consequently leads to a feeling of mistrust among the people for its own government.

As in the case of the Indo-Myanmar border, the government policy of first forming a free flow of people from India to Myanmar to build connection with the neighbors as well as the displaced population from both the sides be able to maintain relations with each other can be facilitated. The scrapping of this policy has not only hindered the livelihoods of the people as they consumed products from both the sides, formed a sense of brotherhood for the fellow tribe members but also established hostility towards the government by both local communities and political leaders.

In conclusion, to provide proper representation of the local communities near the border, various steps need to be taken such as reducing militarization, discussing the issues by the government with the local people so that the conflicts can be understood at the ground levels. People can provide their suggestions regarding the solution for the problems and if it becomes the popular solution, it can be considered at a higher level. Lastly, apart from bringing into light the latest events that have disrupted the population, the historical grievances should also be deliberated about. Moreover, the centre should formulate laws and regulations concerning border security to accommodate the needs of the local communities as well.

REFRENCES:

1. Border. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/border/
2. Jha, O., 2010. Community Participation in Border Management: Challenges and Options, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. India. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/2484765/community-participation-in-border-management/3507193/ on 30 Jun 2024. CID: 20.500.12592/rp51f1.
3. Unending Threats to India’s Borders – Indian Defence Review. (2012, September 22). Indian Defence Review. https://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/unending-threats-to-indias-borders/
4. (2023, June 8). The vital role of border population in ensuring India’s border security. Financial Express. https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-the-vital-role-of-border-population-in-ensuring-indias-border-security-3118718/
5. Jazeera, A. (2020, April 28). Tribes along India-Myanmar border dream of a ‘united Nagaland.’ Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/4/28/tribes-along-india-myanmar-border-dream-of-a-united-nagaland
6. Nyein, N. (2018, June 7). A Rich History Along the India-Myanmar Border. The Irrawaddy. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.irrawaddy.com/specials/rich-history-along-india-myanmar-border.html
7. MHA decides to scrap Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar to ensure the internal security of the country and maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. (n.d.-b). https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2003884#:~:text=Union%20Home%20Minister%20and%20Minister,scrapped%20to%20ensure%20the%20internal
8. North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. (n.d.). https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2003884#:~:text=Ministry%20of%20Home%20Affairs%20(MHA,North%20Eastern%20States%20bordering%20Myanmar.
9. Sharma, Y. (2024, April 11). ‘Separated’: Why is India sealing its Myanmar border, dividing families? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/4/11/were-a-single-village-india-seals-myanmar-border-dividing-families
10. Security Challenges and Border Management In (2023, March 28). ENSURE IAS. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://ensureias.com/blog/internal-security/security-challenges-and-border-management-in-india
11. (2024, February 7). India Myanmar Border | Explained: What Centre’s Decision To Fence Border Means For Northeast [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btE8dtKj27s
12. StudyIQ IAS. (2024, February 11). What is India’s Plan to Fence Border with Myanmar? | Myanmar & China | UPSC GS2 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWjxy8ucrxI
13. Mizoram Assembly passes resolution to oppose Myanmar border fencing. (2024, February 29). The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mizoram-assembly-passes-resolution-to-oppose-myanmar-border-fencing/article67895829.ece
14. Pant, H. V., & Banerjee, S. (2024, January 8). Fencing frontiers with Myanmar: The benefits and challenges of FMR along India-Myanmar border. OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.orfonline.org/research/fencing-frontiers-with-myanmar-the-benefits-and-challenges-of-fmr-along-india-myanmar-border
15. Biswas, B. S. (2024, January 30). India-Myanmar: Why Delhi wants to fence the “troubled” border. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68078252

[1] Border. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/border/

[2] Jha, O., 2010. Community Participation in Border Management: Challenges and Options, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. India. Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/2484765/community-participation-in-border-management/3507193/ on 30 Jun 2024. CID: 20.500.12592/rp51f1.

[3] Unending Threats to India’s Borders – Indian Defence Review. (2012, September 22). Indian Defence Review. https://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/unending-threats-to-indias-borders/

[4] Ibid

[5] Guest. (2023, June 8). The vital role of border population in ensuring India’s border security. Financial Express. https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-the-vital-role-of-border-population-in-ensuring-indias-border-security-3118718/

[6]Jazeera, A. (2020, April 28). Tribes along India-Myanmar border dream of a ‘united Nagaland.’ Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/4/28/tribes-along-india-myanmar-border-dream-of-a-united-nagaland

[7] Nyein, N. (2018, June 7). A Rich History Along the India-Myanmar Border. The Irrawaddy. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.irrawaddy.com/specials/rich-history-along-india-myanmar-border.html

[8] MHA decides to scrap Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar to ensure the internal security of the country and maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. (n.d.). https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2003884#:~:text=Ministry%20of%20Home%20Affairs%20(MHA,North%20Eastern%20States%20bordering%20Myanmar.

[9] Sharma, Y. (2024, April 11). ‘Separated’: Why is India sealing its Myanmar border, dividing families? Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/4/11/were-a-single-village-india-seals-myanmar-border-dividing-families

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

Taneesha Jain

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