Bringing Myanmar closer

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 60

Feb. 16-28, 2010

Bringing Myanmar closer

An Imphal based NGO namely Indo-Myanmar Fraternal Alliance( IMFA) has decided to take tourists from NE to tour Myanmar from Moreh in coming March. IMFA President, R.K.Shivachandra said that such a tour is materialising after a hiatus of six odd years due to lifting of travel restrictions from the Manipur -Myanmar border by the Junta Govt. According to Shivachandra, the IMFA is organising this trip in collaboration with Diamond Palace Tourism Company of Myanmar.Shivchandra informed that 70 people from Manipur and Nagaland have already booked for this package tour. "Meities have their own blood and brothers in Myanmar. The same holds true for the Nagas. We appeal to the people of Assam to also join us as Tai Ahoms have very close links with the Shans. Mediapersons can come too but they have to book themselves as tourists, else they will not be allowed to travel inside Myanmar.In all we are expecting around 200-250 members to register for this trip.'', he said.
" The trip will start from Imphal and move through Tamu , Kalewa and Monywa in Myanmar to Mandalay. This will be a 7 day trip. With all fooding , 3star Hotel boarding , cruises and entertainment included it will cost Rs. 12,000 per head. But if there is wish and demand then from Mandalay we can arrange a day long trip to Psipaw(250 kms away from Mandalay), the place of the Shans for our Assamese brothers." "This initial tour will be a sort of root-tracing trip. We can explore so many other routes in Myanmar in future reaching right upto Yunnan in China. Touring with us from Imphal will be a much cheaper option than going by any other route." " Strong friendship and trade and economic relation can foster between NE India and Myanmar and neighboring countries like Thailand and Yunnan in China through people to people movement , understanding and collaboration. Opening of border tourism will pave the way for this understanding.", he said.
IMFA has also appealed to the Manipur Govt to allow Buddhist tourists from Myanmar and other SE Asian countries headed for Bodh Gaya in Bihar to come by Moreh-Imphal then take the land route via Assam for their destination. "We are not saying this but huge pressure is actually being applied from the Buddhists from the neighboring countries to make this a reality. Coutries like Myanmar are not exactly rich and it costs a religious tourist to Bodh Gaya around Rs45,000 for air travel via Kolkata. The same will come down to Rs 15,000 through Imphal. The affordability will also increase the volume of tourists hugely.'', said the President.
IMFA has also appealed to allow patients from bordering Myanmar like Tamu to undergo their treatment in Imphal which is at a distance of 100 kms, rather than moving to Mandalay around 500kms away. " This will not only be convenient but will also bolster friendship and ties.", said Shivachandra.
The IMFA was formed in 2003.

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