Mizoram would continue to support Myanmar nationals: CM

Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday said his government would continue to take efforts to provide assistance to Myanmar nationals, who fled their country following a humanitarian crisis due to military coup.

During his interaction with leaders of Myanmar nationals on Monday, Zoramthanga assured that his government will try its best to assist the Myanmar nationals who have taken refuge in different parts of the state.

He expressed regret for the hardship faced by the people of Myanmar due to the current political crisis and said his government has taken massive efforts to help those who fled to Mizoram and will continue to do so in the future.

Zoramthang told the refugee leaders that he also urged the Centre several times to provide political asylum to the Myanmar nationals.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi recently, Zoramthanga had urged them to provide assistance to the Myanmar nationals. He also told the Centre that India can’t ignore the plight of the Myanmar people and should take efforts to restore democracy in the neighbouring country.

Zoramthanga had earlier said that the Centre assured his government that it will take measures to ensure that the Mizoram government continues to provide assistance to the Myanmar nationals.

“The Prime Minister assured me that they will make a plan to enable the Mizoram to continue with its assistance to the Myanmar nationals. Though the Centre is very willing on its side, it can’t directly help the Myanmar refugees because India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol,” Zoramthanga had told reporters earlier.

Thousands of Myanmar nationals are now currently taking shelter in different parts of Mizoram. While many live in relief camps or in temporary shelters set up by villagers, others are accommodated by their relatives and some live in rented houses. Most of the Myanmar nationals are from Chin state, who share ethnic ties with the Mizos.

Apart from the government, the NGOs, villagers and individuals provide food and shelter to the Myanmar nationals. Mizoram shares a 510km long international boundary with Myanmar. 

Mizoram is already home to thousands of Chin communities of Myanmar, who migrated to the state since the late 1980s fleeing the military junta in the neighbouring country. 

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