Journalism of Courage
The Mizoram government has initiated the process of issuing identity cards to nearly 30,000-odd Myanmarese refugees, who are currently taking shelter in the state after fleeing the military coup in the neighbouring country last year.
“These are temporary identity cards that include their name, age, place of origin and their current residence. We have issued the cards for the safety of the refugees as well as easier identification,” Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana told indianexpress.com.
He added that the government had issued such cards to a significant number of refugees over the past two months. The process was facilitated by the District-Level Refugee Committee, under the district administration.
As per state government records from April 8 available with indianexpress.com, 29,532 refugees are currently taking refuge across 11 districts of Mizoram. Siaha district, located along the India-Myanmar border, is currently sheltering 9,464 refugees, followed by Champhai that has 7,810 refugees.
Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar along Chin state, and people of common ethnicities live on both sides of the border. Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, refugees, especially from Chin, which has been at the forefront of the armed resistance to the junta, have crossed over to Mizoram in batches.
While 15,000 people from Chin state crossed into Mizoram last July-August, a fresh spurt of violence led to another exodus in January-February this year.
The state government, along with NGOs like the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the Church and civil society groups, has been providing food and shelter to the refugees.
A district official from Champhai said that issuing identity cards was an important step. “It will help keep a track of how many people from Myanmar are in Mizoram… since there is intermingling, it is difficult to differentiate the locals from the refugees,” he said.
A home department official had told news agency PTI that the identity cards would be valid only in Mizoram, and would prevent refugees from enrolling in the state’s voters’ list.
Notably, while the Centre had ordered that borders be closed to Myanmar refugees following the coup in the neighbouring country, the Mizoram National Front (MNF) government, led by Zoramthanga, had welcomed them as fellow brethren, invoking a common tribal lineage and “deep ethnic bonds”.
