"This is not acceptable to Mizoram," Chief Minister Zoramthanga told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a strongly-worded letter on Friday while objecting to the recent directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs that asked the states bordering coup-hit Myanmar to deport Myanmarese nationals who took shelter and sought asylum.
"Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar, and every day terrified Myanmar citizens are struggling to cross over to Mizoram in search of shelter and protection. Myanmar areas bordering Mizoram are inhibited by Chin communities, who are ethnically our Mizo brethren with whom we have been having close contacts throughout all these years even before India became Independent. Therefore, Mizoram can not turn a blind eye to this humanitarian crisis unfolding in front of us in our backyard," Zoramthanga said in the letter.
According to officials in Mizoram, more than 300 Myanmarese nationals including some police personnel crossed over with their families fearing "political persecution" and sought shelter and asylum. DH had earlier reported that Falam district administration in Myanmar had written a letter to Mizoram's Champhai district with a request to handover them to Myanmar.
Days later, the MHA issued directives to chief secretaries of all states in the Northeast bordering Myanmar (Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland) and also to security agencies like Assam Rifles and the BSF for taking action to prevent illegal influx from Myanmar into India in the current internal situation and initiate the deportation process expeditiously and without any delay.
"This is not acceptable to Mizoram. I understand that there are certain foreign policy issues where India needs to proceed cautiously. However, we can not ignore this humanitarian crisis," Zoramthanga said.
"India as the largest democracy in the world and Myanmar's immediate neighbour needs to do more and open up more in this matter. I, therefore strongly urge you to intervene to that the political refugees from Myanmar are given asylum and provided food and shelter here in the country," Zoramthanga said to Modi in the letter.
A four-member delegation of the Mizoram government including 2 MPs met the union minister of state for home, Nityanand Rai in New Delhi seeking steps for extending assistance to the "victims of violence and brutality by the military ruler" in Myanmar.
Ruling out the possibility of deporting these refugees until the situation in Myanmar gets back to normal, the team requested the central government’s intervention for providing necessary relief measures to refugees staying in Mizoram. They also hoped that India will take a more proactive role and raise a stronger voice in support of people fighting for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, said an official statement issued by the Mizoram government.