Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Mizoram that a dedicated online portal for registering 33,000 refugees from coup-hit Myanmar currently sheltering in the state will be launched soon, an official of the state’s home department said on Sunday.
The official said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had informed Chief Minister Lalduhoma during a meeting in New Delhi on Friday that the Centre has completed rectification of a portal for collecting biometric data of Myanmar refugees taking shelter in Mizoram.
“A demonstration of a portal was held recently online and was recommended for the Home Ministry’s approval. Once the MHA gives its approval for format and credentials, we will begin biometric enrollment,” the official said.
He explained that the delay in enrolling Myanmar refugees’ biometrics occurred primarily because the MHA had provided formats that were unsuitable for collecting biometric data from the Myanmar nationals sheltering in the state.
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“The earlier format demanded various mandatory credentials, which are not possible for the refugees to produce or furnish.
The official said the MHA designed the format primarily for deporting illegal immigrants, making it unsuitable for collecting biometric data of Myanmar nationals, who are classified as displaced persons and sheltered on humanitarian grounds.
The government’s latest records show that 33,023 displaced people from Myanmar, including 12,361 children, are currently taking shelter in Mizoram.
The displaced Myanmar nationals, mostly the Chin community from Chin state, who share ethnic ties with the Mizos, have been taking shelter in Mizoram since February 2021 after the military takeover in the neighbouring country. In April 2023, the MHA had directed the governments of both Mizoram and Manipur, which share borders with Myanmar, to capture the biometric and biographic details of “illegal immigrants” in their states.
In June, the Centre instructed the states to complete the exercise by the end of September and asked them to prepare a plan and begin the process.
Although the Mizoram government initially acted on the Centre’s directive by conducting training sessions and appointing nodal officers, the Council of Ministers decided in its September 2023 meeting to halt the biometric and biographic enrollment of refugees, stating that it was not advisable to carry out the exercise ahead of the state assembly elections in November.
Later, authorities extended the deadline for the collection of biometric details of illegal immigrants till December 31, 2024.
However, the Mizoram government delayed the exercise due to an inappropriate format and requested the MHA to rectify it. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar’s Chin state.
Earlier, Mizoram Home Minister K Sadangpa had addressed the initiative in the state assembly, regarding shortcomings in the Ministry of Home Affairs’ existing refugee registration system.
The statement noted that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly told Chief Minister Lalduhoma that the revised system would enhance data collection capabilities.
The Union Home Minister also assured that the government would reimburse Assam Rifles over Rs. 5.23 crore for the depreciated cost of buildings and infrastructure vacated by the paramilitary force in Aizawl.
Shah had on March 15 attended a function, marking the relocation of Assam Rifles establishments from Aizawl to a designated camp at Zokhawsang, about 15 km east of the state capital.
It states that during the meeting, Amit Shah commended the Mizoram government for its commitment to maintaining peace and lauded Chief Minister Lalduhoma’s efforts.
He pledged to personally explore avenues to support the state’s flagship “Bana Kaih” (Handholding Scheme) through peace-related initiatives, labeling it a “peace dividend”, the statement asserted.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma expressed gratitude to Shah for backing Mizoram’s appeal to raise a Territorial Army unit.
Furthermore, Lalduhoma also requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to expedite the process of transferring the management of Lengpui Airport to the Airports Authority of India, the statement added.
Notably, the state government recently formed a committee, led by MLA and retired Lt. Col. Clement Lalhmingthanga, to coordinate the search for a suitable site for the Mizo Territorial Army Battalion.
According to Lalhmingthanga, plans are underway to raise two companies under the Territorial Army, following directives from higher authorities.
Both the leaders also discussed issues related to ‘The Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019 passed by the state assembly in March 2019, which awaits the President’s approval, he said.