Internally Displaced Persons Crosses 9,500-Mark In Mizoram

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)l from the neighbouring Manipur state crossed 9,500-mark housing in ten districts of Mizoram after the ethnic clashes between the non-tribal Meitei people and Zo tribal people erupted on May 3, 2023, §§Mizoram Home Department said.

A total of 9,501 IDPs from the violence-hit Manipur have crossed over seeking shelter in various parts of Mizoram. Kolasib district is accommodating the highest number of displaced people at 3,481, followed by Aizawl (3,157) and Saitual (2,389), while the remaining 474 are dispersed across Champhai, Khawzawl, Serchhip, Mamit, Lunglei, Hnahthial, and Siaha districts, according to DIPR Mizoram.

Currently, over 50,000 people, comprising both, Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar ethnic tribes as well as people from Myanmar and Bangladesh are being sheltered by Mizoram. In the last couple of years, Mizoram has seen an influx of refugees from Myanmar and recently from Bangladesh and now Manipur, adding the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) who were staying after signing a peace accord with the government, police said.

To extent it’s support for the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar ethnic tribes from Manipur, a high-level committee was led by Mizoram Home Minister Lalchandama as the state continues to extend its support to the Zo brethren who are living in fear in Manipur state, an official said.

The committee was established on Sunday by Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga's directive, comprising diverse group of members, including Education Minister Lalchhandam Ralte as vice chairman, Home Department Commissioner H Lalengmawia as member secretary, and representatives from various departments, as well as the Central Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizoram Journalists' Association (MJA), and Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC).

On Monday May 5, the committee held a meeting during which Home Minister Lalchamliana informed the attendees that Mizoram is currently providing shelter to over 50,000 people from neighbouring Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In the meeting, the committee concluded the importance of maintaining proper profiling of the IDPs from Manipur and decided to conduct regular health check-ups to the people.

They also took measures to ensure the continuation of education for displaced undergraduate students within Mizoram. These initiatives aim to provide holistic support and alleviate the challenges faced by the IDPs.

Last month, the Mizoram government instructed the state education officials to enrol the displaced children in state-run schools.

Tragically, three IDPs from Manipur have already witnessed the loss of lives in Mizoram. Three individuals, including a minor and an infant, who have succumbed to illnesses. Besides, two persons were killed in a road accident near Saitual town while fleeing from their hometown Lamka in Churachandpur district of Manipur.

Clashes began when Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, was scheduled to visit Churachandpur on April 28 and inaugurate an open gym. Before the inauguration could take place on April 27, the gym was set on fire by protestors.

The ethnic clash between the non-tribal Meitei people and tribal erupted on May 3, 2023 in Churachandpur district during the “Tribal Solidarity March” called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) where more than 60,000 protestors participated in this peaceful march to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who dominate the Imphal Valley, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meanwhile Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on May 26, during his visit to New Delhi requested Centre government to grant a financial support of ₹10 crore so that the state can extend proper support to the IDPs.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said that Mizoram has already hosted 35,000 refugees from Myanmar in various relief camps and a recent conflict in neighbouring Bangladesh has caused almost thousands of refugees.

The Manipur government on Monday extended the ongoing shutdown of internet services, which started on May 4, by another five days till 3pm of June 10. The government said it was done to “curb the spread of false news, rumours and misinformation through social media platforms.”

Ethnic violence between non-tribal Meitei people and tribal people communities which started on May 3 has claimed at least 98 lives, injuries to over 300 and displaced more than 35,000 people.

A total of 135 columns of the army and Assam Rifles are deployed in Manipur along with 700 RAF as part of the effort to restore peace and more than two hundred churches and over 1,700 homes have been destroyed, looted and burnt down.

This conflict is said to be one of the deadliest since Manipur attained statehood in 1972.