Aizawl: The central committee of the Young Mizo Association (CYMA) on Thursday, announced that the association has resolved to intensify its efforts in pushing the state government to establish a structured and comprehensive mechanism for managing the over 42,000 refugees currently residing in various parts of Mizoram.
Following the development, the association’s general secretary Malsawmliana said that the meeting of the Central Coordination Committee (CCC) of YMA on Wednesday reviewed the steps taken by a special committee constituted by CYMA to draft proposals for refugee management.
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The meeting decided to make more efforts to ensure that the state government designate appropriate shelter locations for housing the refugees, and frame proper and comprehensive guidelines for handling and governing them, he said.
Malsawmliana stated that, according to an official of the state home department, Mizoram currently gives shelter to more than 42,000 refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Manipur.
Of these, over 33,000 are from Myanmar’s Chin state, about 7,000 ethnic Kuki-Zo people from Manipur, and over 2000 Bawm people from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), he added.
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Notably, Chin, Kuki-Zo and Bawm people belonged to ethnic Mizo tribes, who share ethnic and cultural ties with the Mizos.
While Mizoram welcomed the refugees. There are growing concerns over the situation arising out of the refugee issue following the reported strain on local resources and the increase of crimes, including the trafficking of drugs and firearms, allegedly committed by the refugees, particularly those from Myanmar.
Recently, at least three localities in Aizawl and civil society in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai town issued diktats and protocols either banning foreign refugees, restricting their movements, or not allowing them to provide rent houses or shops without permission from authorities.
The organization in its conference held in October last year had passed resolutions urging the state government to arrange shelter homes in designated locations and issue comprehensive guidelines for handling and managing people from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Manipur taking shelter in the state.
The association had also urged the government to strictly enforce such guidelines and rules across the state.