China and Burma restrict cross border travel

The thorny Border Guard Force issue is creating fresh complications with China and Burma having restricted cross border travel in Kachin State in northern Burma as of early this month, said local sources.

Laiza, the capital and business center of Kachin Independence Organization. Photo: Kachin News Group.

Burmese border officials based in Laja Yang village in Waingmaw Township in Kachin State of a sudden scaled down issuing border pass books also called the Red Book to Chinese workers and businessmen, said Laja Yang’s villagers.

“Over the last two weeks the junta has scaled down issuing numbers of Red Books to the Chinese from the earlier limitless numbers. Now only about 20 persons per day get the pass,” said a resident of Laiza, the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on the border, near Laja Yang.

The idea behind the clamp down is to limit the number of Chinese wanting to cross the border and tighter control of the border gate. It is also to pressurize the KIO to accept the junta-proposed Border Guard Force, said border traders.

Chinese border officials have followed suit and also stopped issuing new Red Books, to Burmese citizens since early this month, said border travelers.

The Chinese Red Book was issued at the border checkpoint and Burmese permit holders were allowed to travel and live in the limited areas in China’s southwest Yunnan province for up to one year, said border travelers in Laiza.

Residents in KIO headquarters in Laiza said China has also restricted cross-border Burmese travelers to its territory even as military tension mounts between the junta and KIO on the BGF issue.

The junta has set April 28 as the second deadline for KIO not to hedge and come clean on the BGF after negotiation failed over 13 meetings in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.

Tomorrow, the KIO is going to explain to Kachin people in Laiza in a public meeting why the negotiations with the junta failed.

Source :http://kachinnews.com/News/China-and-Burma-restrict-cross-border-travel.html