Mizoram sheltering over 9,000 coup-hit Myanmar nationals, sparks debate on refugee policy

Mizoram has provided shelter to over 9,000 ethnic Myanmarese nationals, including a former chief minister and 14 MPs belonging to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). The military junta had launched a crackdown against the pro-democracy protesters in March.

The Mizoram government has provided protection, while local communities have either given shelter in their own home or set up relief camps, including one in state capital Aizawl.

According to a government official, the total number of Myanmar nationals have reached 9,247, who are staying across at least 10 districts. A total of 1,633 refugees are being provided shelter in the Aizawl camp.

As the Myanmar military reportedly intensified the crackdown against pro-democracy protesters, including NLD supporters, Salai Lian Luai, Chief Minister of Chin state crossed over to Mizoram's Champhai district on Monday and sought refuge. "He has been provided shelter. Many others are, however, living with their relatives in Mizoram," Rajya Sabha Member from Mizoram, K Vanlalvena, told DH on Wednesday.

The Centre had, in March, asked the northeastern states to prevent possible infiltration from coup-hit Myanmar and take steps for deportation of those who had taken shelter. But Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga refused to comply with the Centre's directive, saying it was his responsibility to take care of the ethnic Chin refugees as they are "ethnically Mizo brethren". He said Mizoram could not turn "a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in their backyard".

Government officials in Mizoram refused to talk about the possible refugee crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic and even reportedly prohibited journalists from going into the Aizawl camp with cameras.

Ravi Nair, executive director of South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre, said the Chins are "ethnic cousins" of the Mizos. "They are both part of the larger family of Zo people, who inhibit the hills of eastern Burma and parts of Mizoram and Manipur in India," he said.

Six districts of Mizoram share 510 km of unfenced borders with Myanmar.

Discrimination against Rohingyas?

Although many in Mizoram called it a "humanitarian gesture" during a crisis situation, Suhas Chakma, director of New Delhi-based Rights and Risk Analysis Group, asked why the policy was different in case of the Rohingyas, who also faced persecution in the same country.

"This only confirms that in the absence of a refugee law, India will continue to accept refugees solely based on ethnic, linguistic and religious preferences (Chins) while persecuting and expelling others (Rohingyas) based on religious preferences even if they come from the same country and persecuted by the same authorities," he said.

Chakma questioned why Mizoram was discriminating with the ethnic Chakmas and alleging them to be foreigners (from Bangladesh) when it was accepting thousands of Chin refugees. "About 100,000 Chin refugees, who have been arriving since 1989, have not gone back and no agreement has been signed with Myanmar for their repatriation. Yet, the Chakmas, who had been inhabiting western parts of Mizoram from time immemorial and have an Autonomous District Council under the Constitution of India, have been repeatedly targeted as foreigners. This vindicates the allegations of discrimination against the Chakmas," he said.

Regarding India's policy towards Rohingyas vis-a-vis Chins taking shelter in Mizoram, Nair, said, "The Rohingyas are a stateless people. They cannot go back to Rakhaine state. The Chins have a home and a state to go back to."