MillenniumPost
Editorial

Immigration check

In a crucial move, the Government of India has set up checkpoints at the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders, to check the documents for all those entering the Indian territory. Amid growing crisis and the existing threat to national security, this comes as an important move to prevent illegal trespassing, that has often led to fostering militancy and unrest. The present Rohingya crisis, along with India's firm stance against accommodating those fleeing from Myanmar is reflective of the Union's call to protect Indians first. India shares a 4,096 km territorial border with Bangladesh that is shared by the Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal. With Myanmar too there is a 1,643 km boundary shared between the two countries across Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. This gives enough scope to miscreants to make their planned entry into India. While for protecting territorial security this is a positive move, yet, more thought must be engaged in dealing with the global problem of large-scale ethnic immigration. Whether in Europe or in Asia, there are thousands who are homeless, trying to make their way through the most dreaded circumstances while attempting to secure a home and livelihood for themselves. The Rohingya crisis is undoubtedly Myanmar's internal problem, at least that is where it emanates from locally. Yet, it is not an isolated problem from which the global community can simply conquer with walls. Over 500,000 Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh, fleeing from their fated lives in Myanmar, where a believed ethnic cleansing has led to violence, death, and a complete state of despair and helplessness. Globalisation has wonderfully ensured that countries are not isolated blocks with independent functioning. All our fates are tied in this problem. Immigration is a global problem. Dealing with this phenomenon, at present, has become overwhelming for most of the developed world that is gradually withdrawing within its own superiority. There are thousands of Rohingyas homeless, dying of hunger and violence, whose homes have been wrecked beyond repair. This state of poverty and vengeance has the perfect nutrients to nourish desires of vengeance giving birth to militancy. India has to consider its territorial security first, undoubtedly. With a raging population, our hands are too full to accommodate more lives. Though, Bangladesh with its slower economy has managed that. Bangladesh's failure has been elsewhere in protecting its citizens from hate crimes which have grown in the last few years, a problem which is evident in India now, battling which, more population would provide little respite. The Ministry of Home Affairs said that Zorindpuri land check-post in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram, would verify passengers entering from Myanmar; Kawrpuichhuah land check post in Lunglei district of Mizoram would the authorised immigration check post for those entering from Bangladesh. Zorinpuri was also chosen for a new land customs station along the Myanmar border only 287 km away from Sittwe Port.
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