Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Sunday said that due to ongoing civil war in Myanmar, around 6,000 people from that country have taken shelter in his state.
Attending a function of the Manipuri community in southern Assam’s Barak Valley, he said that due to the unrest in Myanmar, around 6,000 people including women and children have so far come to Manipur.
“We are providing the Myanmarese food and shelter considering the humanitarian aspects. As the volatile situation continues, more people are likely to come to India,” he told the media.
Singh expressed his deep concern over the influx in Manipur from neighbouring Myanmar.
Stressing proactive measures, he said that biometric data collection and profiling processes are going on in areas like Kamjong and Ukhrul, and announced adopting similar strategies in regions like Behiang, adjacent to Myanmar, considering reports of heightened conflicts there.
“We can’t treat them as refugees but are providing food and shelter to the Myanmar nationals on humanitarian ground. We would not allow the Myanmar citizens to establish permanent settlements within the state’s borders.”
Besides Manipur, Mizoram is also witnessing fresh influx from Myanmar owing to clashes between the military and pro-democracy forces. After the Myanmar military’s coup, so far, 32,000 men,women, and children, including elected leaders, took shelter in Mizoram.
A total of 104 Army soldiers also fled to Mizoram after the civilian forces took control of the few Army camps. However, the Indian authorities later repatriated them to their country.
Following fresh fighting in Myanmar, hundreds of people have taken shelter in Manipur’s Kamjong which alone shares a 109 km border with Myanmar. Five Manipur districts — Churachandpur, Chandel, Kamjong, Tengnoupal, and Ukhrul share around 400-km long international border with Myanmar.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs earlier asked the Manipur and Mizoram governments to collect biographic and biometric data of “illegal migrants” in the two states and complete the process by September this year. Following the request of the Manipur government, the timeframe was later extended by a year. However, the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government earlier refused to carry out the process and instead took up the matter with the MHA but the Centre insisted on the process.