Mizoram braces for another wave of Kuki-Chin refugees from Bangladesh

Mizoram appears to be getting ready for another wave of asylum seekers from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh in the wake of arson being committed by Bangladesh army personnel on Thursday.

Leaders of Association of Bawm community in Mizoram in a press statement issued on Friday said that 400 Bangladesh Army personnel burnt down Prata village in Baktlai camp area on Thursday at around 2:00 pm Bangladesh time.

“Prata village is located in Remakri Prangsha Union, Ruma Thana, Bandorban hill tracts. There are 80 households and 550 inhabitants,” the statement said, adding that all the houses were burnt down.

There were 2 sick people and 7 elderly people in the village, the statement said.

“This brutal act of burning down village is the first time since Bangladesh became independent in 1971” it said.

All the villagers fled in the jungles for fear of their lives, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), fighting for a separate state in the Chittagong Hill Tracts alleged that the Bangladesh army personnel arrested Lal Nun Nuam Bawm (17) without any reasons on Tuesday.

The KNA also accused the Bangladesh army of arresting Par Khup Bom (64) a Christian Pastor and torturing him while in detention and also arresting and torturing Rowangchari Upazilla church elder Lian Zuam Bawm (62) on the same day.

The Kuki-Chin insurgent group accused the Bangladesh of targeting Christian community and sought the intervention of the United Nations.

Mizoram is hosting more than 500 asylum seekers from Bangladesh since November last year following clashes between the Bangladesh army and the KNA cadres.

Also Read: More refugees from Chittagong hill tracts enter Mizoram’s Lawngtai district