Guwahati: Despite repeated requests from the Mizoram government, the central government has not provided any financial or in-kind assistance for the thousands of displaced people from Manipur who have taken refuge in Mizoram, the state government said.
This lack of support from the Centre has left the Mizoram government and the people of the state deeply disappointed.
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In May 2023, violence erupted in Manipur between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, displacing over 67,000 people.
Around 12,000 of these displaced people sought refuge in Mizoram, a neighbouring state with which the Mizos share a common Zo ancestry.
The Mizoram government, along with civil society organizations and the Church, has been working tirelessly to provide relief to the displaced people.
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However, the state’s resources are limited, and the lack of central assistance has put a strain on the government’s ability to provide adequate support.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga wrote two letters to the central government in May and June, requesting Rs 10 crore to help provide relief to the displaced people.
He also sent a minister and the home commissioner to New Delhi to follow up on the letters, but their efforts were met with no success.
In September 2023, a senior home ministry official informed the Mizoram government that the Centre was unable to provide financial assistance but could offer in-kind support.
The Mizoram government immediately responded by formally requesting in-kind assistance for six months, from October to March.
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However, the Centre has remained silent on this request, leaving the people of Mizoram baffled and frustrated.
They compare the Centre’s inaction to its promptness in providing in-kind assistance to Palestinians affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Mizoram government further emphasized that the Centre’s failure to provide assistance has nothing to do with the upcoming Assembly elections in Mizoram, as requests were made well before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect.