Nearly 600 Myanmar ‘refugees’ have gone back since violence broke out in Manipur

Nearly 40,000 Myanmar nationals fled their homes and took shelter in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland in order to avoid bombing and raids by the military rulers since 2021. But nearly 600 of them have gone back to their nation since the violence broke out in Manipur in May.

Sources told DH that the nearly 600 "refugees" from Myanmar, who had taken shelter in Tengnoupal, a Kuki-dominated hill district in Manipur, have gone back fearing attack by the Meiteis, who claim that the ongoing violence is a fight between the government and the "illegal migrants" and "narco terrorists" from the neighbouring country.

Sources said the "refugees" decided to go back due to the volatile situation in Manipur and the growing anger against Myanmar nationals. Manipur shares a border with Chin state and Sagaing region of Myanmar.

"They decided to go back as the military in Myanmar had moved back from their villages. But the violence and uncertainty in Manipur could be a push factor," said an MP of Myanmar, belonging to National League for Democracy (NLD), the political party led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is taking shelter in the Northeast.

He said another 3,000 Myanmar nationals, however, are still taking shelter in Manipur's Kuki-dominated hill districts. The Kukis have provided shelter to the "refugees" as they share ethnic ties with the Chins of Myanmar. But the Meiteis claim that "illegal migrants" have occupied the forest land in the hills and are involved in poppy cultivation and drug smuggling. More than 160 people have been killed and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis since May 3.

As the Meiteis intensified the clamour against the "illegal migrants" from Myanmar and Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts), the Manipur government asked Assam Rifles to intensify the vigil on the Indo-Myanmar border to prevent influx from across the border. On July 24, the Manipur home department, had in fact asked Assam Rifles to immediately push back 718 Myanmar nationals who had illegally entered the state on July 22 and 23.

A statement issued by the state government said the migrants, including 208 women and 301 children, entered the New Lajang area in Chandel district following fresh violence broke out in Myanmar. The Myanmar MP, however, told DH that a meeting held between them and the Manipur government decided against their immediate deportation. Manipur shares 390kms of the total 1,634 km of border with Myanmar. But most stretches has remained unfenced allowing the migrants, militants and criminals to carry out unlawful activities. Assam Rifles guards the India-Myanmar borders.

Manipur and Mizoram governments, in the meantime, started collection of biometrics of the Myanmar nationals, following an instruction by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Manipur government officials said the biometric details would be uploaded in a "negative biometric list" which would prevent them from acquiring Indian citizenship.

Turmoil in Myanmar

At least 50 MPs and nearly 40,000 Myanmar nationals including members of Suu Kyi's party have taken shelter since the military took over the elected government and subsequently launched a "crackdown on pro-democracy protesters" in February 2021.

Most of them are in Mizoram, where the state government as well as the community organisations and churches have provided them with shelters and food. They have not faced much problem as the Mizos too are ethnically linked to the Chins of Myanmar. In fact, Mizoram CM Zoramthanga had rejected the Centre's directive to push back the "refugees" saying they are "ethnically Mizo brethren" and Mizoram can not "turn a blind's eye to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in its backyard."

Ngai Tam Maung, another MP from Myanmar, who is taking shelter in Mizoram told DH in August 2022 that they are willing to go back as soon as democracy is restored and expects India to play an important role in that direction.