At least 14 lawmakers among over 2,200 people from Myanmar are taking refuge in Mizoram after fleeing their country to avoid detention following the military takeover in February, a police official said on Monday.
The police official said that the 14 lawmakers (members of parliament) are from Myanmar’s Chin state and Sagaing region and they belonged to the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which won the November 2020 election.
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Quoting official records, he said that at least 2,223 people from Myanmar have sneaked into Mizoram and are currently taking shelter in different parts of the state.
Of the 2,223 people, 80 per cent are police personnel, while 20 per cent are other government servants like teachers, firemen and bureaucrats, he said.
He said that majority of the refugees are being provided food by the local NGOs, while some are sheltered by villagers.
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He said that Champhai district housed the highest number of Myanmar nationals at 558, followed by Siaha district, which housed 414.
According to the official, the Myanmar nationals are currently taking refuge in 9 districts, including the state capital Aizawl.
There are 310 Myanmar nationals in the state capital Aizawl, he said.
Six Mizoram districts- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual share a 510 km long international border with Myanmar.
Meanwhile, North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of various student organisations in the Northeast has urged the NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop bloodshed and loss of lives in the trouble-torn Myanmar, a statement by the student body said.
The meeting of the organisation held via video conference on Monday urged the Centre to prevail in its capacity to the Myanmar military junta in order to stop bloodshed and loss of lives in the neighbouring country, the statement said.
It also urged the Centre to seek immediate restoration of democracy in the coup hit country.
The NESO urged the Modi government to properly address the plights of the Myanmar nationals, who have taken refuge in Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh fleeing possible persecutions, with the consent of respective state governments.
It said that the ethnic groups from Sagaing region and Chin state of Myanmar share the same culture, ethnicity and history with the indigenous communities of the four Northeastern states, which share international boundaries with the neighbouring country.
The students’ organisation further urged the Centre to provide necessary temporary support to the Myanmar nationals till they are sent back to their country as the situation improved.