AIZAWL: The Mizoram government has voiced for grant of refugee status to the Myanmar nationals, who are currently staying in the state.
This development was confirmed by Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana while speaking to news agency ANI.
There are at least 30,000 Myanmar nationals currently staying in different parts of Mizoram.
Mizoram has been feeding more than 30,000 Myanmar nationals for the last 20 months, the Mizoram minister told ANI.
Notably, several NGOs and other civil society organisations in Mizoram have been demanding grant of refugee status to the Myanmar nationals who are staying in the state.
These Myanmar nationals had fled their country following the military coup last year that overthrew the democratically elected civilian government.
The Mizoram home minister also informed that the state government is considering writing to the centre urging it to grant refugee status to the Myanmar nationals.
“Those who would like to continue their education in Mizoram, our government has allowed them to do this. Some of them appear in the HSLC (Class 10) examination also,” the Mizoram home minister said.
Moreover, he refuted the allegations that these Myanmar nationals have been involved in arms and drugs trade.
Mizoram shares a 510 km long porous border with Myanmar.