‘Myanmar refugees threatening security, razing resources’: Mizoram activist tells HM Shah
Aizawl, March 12 (IANS) A Mizoram social activist urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take urgent action on illegal entry of Myanmar refugees into the state, rising crime rate, smuggling of explosives and drugs, and fake documentation in the northeastern state.
After a military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, refugees including women and children from the neighbouring country started coming to Mizoram seeking shelter and now their numbers have increased to around 35,000.
The refugees, mostly Chins ethnically and have almost full ethnic similarity with the majority Mizos of Mizoram, now sheltered in camps, in most of the 11 districts in the northeastern state, which has an unfenced 510 km border with Myanmar.
Social activist V.L. Thlamuanpuia in his letter to Home Minister said that increasing influx of Myanmar refugees into Mizoram has raised serious concerns regarding national security, demographic shifts, and the strain on local resources.
“While India has always upheld humanitarian values, the current situation demands immediate government intervention to maintain law and order, safeguard national security, and protect the interests of Indian citizens,” he said.
Thlamuanpuia in his letter said that the unchecked entry of refugees from Myanmar due to ongoing internal turmoil in the neighbouring country has led to a surge in undocumented individuals entering the state.
This has resulted in significant challenges related to border security, pressure on public resources, and potential security risks, he said adding that the rising prevalence of cross-border crimes, including human trafficking, illicit drug smuggling, and the alarming trade of explosives, has exacerbated the crisis, posing a severe threat to public safety and national security.
The social activist highlighted another pressing issue of widespread use of fraudulent documents by illegal immigrants.
Many Myanmar individuals are obtaining fake Indian identification proofs, such as Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and other official documents, allowing them to illegally access government services and establish residency, he said.
Thlamuanpuia, who worked in the environment and wildlife sectors, said that the influx of refugees not only undermines national security but also creates significant risks related to electoral integrity, resource allocation, and law enforcement.
He said that many Mizo youths have lost their precious lives due to drug menaces and these drugs are smuggled into Mizoram by the Myanmar refugees and other drug peddlers.
“The Myanmar refugees who have come to Mizoram due to the conflict in the neighboring country are illegally making false documents. State government is relying on NGOs in law enforcement and has not taken any action to prevent the increase in social crime,” Thlamuanpuia observed.
–IANS
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