Burmese refugee camp in Mizoram state / Photo: Myanmar Refugee Relief Committee
Mizzima
The Manipur government issued an order which bans the refugees from Myanmar and staying in Kamjoig District from working and doing business in the State.
The Indian daily papers reported that the Executive Magistrate of Kamjong District in Manipur has issued a notice against refugees from Myanmar, prohibiting them from engaging in any form of business, trade or labour work.
The notice clearly states that all refugees within the Kamjong Sub-Division are required to strictly stay within their designated refugee camps.
They are explicitly forbidden from participating in any business or trade activities and from working as labourers or helpers in any capacity. It was also mentioned that any refugee found violating this order will face prosecution in accordance with the relevant laws and rules.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday told the assembly that 6,746 illegal Myanmar nationals have been detected in the state from May 3, 2023, to February 27 this year.
The chief minister said 259 Myanmar nationals were “pushed back” to their native place after biometric data collection,
And the rest are being housed in temporary shelters to prevent them from mixing with the general public, he added.
The communal riot that took place in May last year in Manipur State killed at least 150 persons. CM N. Biren Singh claimed “the mercenaries” coming from Myanmar incited the riot between the two communities that resulted in instability in the State.
India has an international border with Myanmar in Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh States.
After the military coup in Myanmar in early February of 2021, tens of thousands of refugees fled from armed conflicts in Chin State and upper Sagaing Region came to India to take refuge. India then tightened the border security and imposed a series of restrictions on Myanmar refugees.
The Indian government announced in January this year that they would build border fencing along the over 1,000-mile international border with Myanmar as they did along the Bangladesh border.
Local residents point out that the refugees who are taking refuge in India from armed conflicts in their country would face difficulties and also it would create difficulties for trading and commerce in the area.
The Indian government is trying to abolish the “Free Movement Regime” (FMR) for local residents staying along the border and to build a fence.
Some Indian media reported that due to the civil war spreading in Myanmar after the coup, more people were fleeing to India through the border, including Myanmar junta soldiers, with more cases of drug trafficking being found, and hence the Indian government decided to build border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border.
