Narinjara Correspondent,

Guwahati, Northeast India

The Connectivity between Northeastern part of India and the South East Asian Nations including Burma was emphasized by the Assam chief minister during a New Delhi meeting on Wednesday. Tarun Gogoi, the province head of the northeastern state of Assam, while addressing the 53rd meeting of the North Eastern Council in New Delhi on November 15, stressed the need for reopening of the historic Stilwell Road for revival of trade links with South East Asian countries.

"To initiate the industrial growth in Northeast and to make it sustainable, we must look for the South East Asian markets that carry tremendous potentials," Mr Gogoi asserted. The NEC meeting, which was chaired by the Indian Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mani Shankar Aiyar, was also attended by other chief ministers and Governors of the northeastern states.

The Stilwell Road, starting at Ledo in Assam passes through the Pangsau pass in Burma to reach Kunming in the Yunnan province of South China is looked as a mean for improvement of trades between India and South East Asian countries. The 1726-kilometer road, which was initially known as Ledo Road, was later renamed after the American General Joseph Warren Stilwell (March 19, 1883-October 12, 1946).

It may be mentioned that during the World War II, when Japan occupied Burma and invaded China, the situation compelled the British soldiers to retreat to Assam. Meanwhile, the Japanese blocked the road communication to China. Following the urgent need to maintain the supplies to Chinese Nationalist Forces, the road was built by the Allied and Chinese forces under the command of US Army General Joseph Stilwell.

The major portion of the road lies within Burma (1,033 km) with 632 km in China and small stretch in India (61 km). Unfortunately, the stretch of the road in Burma is not developed and in many places the road becomes almost invisible. Mr Gogoi, while talking to scribes in Guwahati few days back, also raised voice for reopening the ancient road. He also argued that the Union government in New Delhi should pursue with the 'rulers of Myanmar (Burma) to take necessary steps' for improvement of the road.

In fact, it was Kunming Initiative that inspires the civil society in Northeast to raise voice for reopening the trade route. In August of 1999, China, India and Burma (also Bangladesh) authorities met in China's Yunnan province and approved an agreement. Known as the Kunming Initiative, it decided to improve communications between India's northeast and south-western China. The possibilities of developing rail, water and air links among the participating countries were discussed and specific emphasis was given for revitalizing the old Southern Silk Route.

However, New Delhi still prefers to go slow here. The central government fears that the opening up of the road will create security threat in Northeast India as the road would connect the Kachin province of Burma, which is infamous for its armed groups that nurtures many northeast Indian insurgent outfits. The jungles on both sides of the Stilwell Road (primarily inside Burma) still provide hideouts for many armed outfits from Northeast. It is apprehended that the road would provide easier passage to those insurgents groups. Moreover, it might increase the volume of illegal drugs that penetrates India from the Golden Triangle. #

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