Aizawl: Senior officials from Mizoram’s Lawngtlai and Siaha districts held a virtual consultation on Thursday afternoon to strengthen enforcement of the free movement regime (FMR) along the Myanmar border. The meeting aimed to tighten border controls, improve coordination between the two administrations, and ensure stricter law and order in the frontier areas, an official statement said.The meeting resolved that district magistrates of the two adjoining districts should enforce the FMR along the international border more stringently, with stricter law enforcement to maintain order in the border areas.It was also decided that a study would be conducted on the existing standard operating procedure (SOP) to formulate a joint SOP for both district administrations, which would then be submitted to the state govt for approval.The consultation further agreed to carry out surprise checks for undocumented immigrants in both districts and to convene another joint meeting at the earliest.The meeting was attended by Lawngtlai deputy commissioner Donny Lalruatsanga, Siaha deputy commissioner VL Hruaizela Khiangte, superintendents of police, additional DCs and SPs, as well as representatives from the village council association and civil society organisations of both districts.The joint consultation follows the murder of a 37-year-old resident of Lawngtlai town at Salachhuah in southern Chin state of Myanmar. In response, Lawngtlai DC Donny Lalruatsanga ordered the indefinite sealing of the Myanmar border from Monday, banning the entry of foreigners without valid travel documents or official permission.In his order, Lalruatsanga said the border closure was necessary due to repeated incidents linked to trading activities along the border, including the recent killing of an Indian citizen inside Myanmar.The order also prohibits foreigners from entering Lawngtlai district, crossing the international border from Lawngtlai, engaging in cross-border trade, and exporting goods by vehicles, including those from outside the district.
