A loud thought on cross-border intervention

April 10, 2010

Dear members,

Its becoming more of a fashion for a number of NGOs and even some senior

officials of SACS delivering presentations on cross border intervention.

When we actually look at the programming and legality aspects of it, yet we are

confronted with so many questions from what we are talking about. Are we really

talking about cross-boreder intervention in its true sence or are we simply

saying that people from across the border are accessing the services in our

side? Example of north-east scenerio may be cited here.

To our understanding the TI programmes being implemented in border areas are not

different from those in capital towns in terms of their strategies and service

provision. We are yet to see standard cross-border specific TI programmes in

this region, may be in the country.

But my main concern is the legality part of it. Due to cultural affinity as well

as commercial relationships, people from either sides of the border may be

having free interaction and as a result some people from across the border may

be accessing NSEP or condoms promotion programmes of our TIs, or tratment and

care services from our CCCs operating in the border areas.

But do we (NGOs?SACS) really have the constitutional mandate to provide these

services to people from across the border, the services which are meant for the

people of this side of the border, the services for which the citizens of this

country are paying taxes. Or, are we equipped with the necessary legal

permission of the neighbouring country to whose citizens we are intervening? Or

are we simply acting silly because there is no any standard design

for cross-border TI programme.

Or, is it time for us to look into some kind of a mechanism whereby the

bordering coutries have an MoU for a joint intervention or may be UN bodies are

brought in to play a role in implementing a programme covering the

neibouring countries.

It is just a loud thought.

Pramot, imphal

Pramotchand Singh

e-mail: <pramot_singh@...>

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