Lalduhoma with party workers at Aizawl.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Guwahati: Mizoram now has a change in guard after the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) replaced the Zoramthanga-led Mizo National Front (MMF) government on Monday.
But the new government would make no change in the state's policy towards providing shelter to the Chin-Kuki refugees from neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur.
Sources said CM designate and ZPM chief Lalduhoma would meet Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar soon with a request to provide financial assistance and support to take care of the over 30,000 refugees taking shelter in the state since the civil conflict began in 2021. Lalduhoma, an IPS-officer-turned politician, made it clear that ZPM stood strongly behind the victim of the conflict as Chin-Kukis are the brethren of the Mizos and share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
"I will seek the Centre's help so that we can improve humanitarian assistance to the refugees already taking shelter in Mizoram," Lalduhoma told reporters in Aizawl on Wednesday soon after he met Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati. The Laldhuhoma-led government would take oath of office and secrecy at 11am on Friday.
ZPM stormed to power in Mizoram for the first time by winning 27 out of the 40 seats. It wrested power from MNF, which banked heavily on its stand in favour of refugees, to win the elections. Ahead of the election, Lalduhoma told DH that the stand would not help MNF alone as all parties in Mizoram stood strongly behind the Chin refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh and the Kuki victims of the violence in Manipur as well.
Sources said Lalduhoma is likely to press the Centre for providing financial assistance for the refugees. Whether the Centre agrees to provide the financial assistance is to be watched as it did not respond to similar requests by Zoramthanga despite the MNF being an ally of the NDA.
Zoramthanga had defied the Centre's directives to deport the Myanmar refugees and record biometrics, something which probably led the Centre not to respond to Zoramthanga's requests for financial support.
The influx of Myanmar refugees to Mizoram has continued as sporadic conflict between the military and the "pro-democracy protesters" and the rebel groups are still being reported. Over 30,000 refugees including MPs and MLAs from Myanmar have been taking shelter in Mizoram. They have been provided shelter and food by the church bodies and local NGOs with the help of the state government.
Manipur conflict:
Lalduhoma is also likely to hold discussions with Shah about the situation in Manipur. After the poll results were announced on Monday, Lalduhoma said the ZPM is in favour of the demand for a "separate administration" by the Kukis in Manipur to end the conflict. Nearly 200 people have died and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the conflicts between the Meitei and Kukis since May.