Mizoram providing food, medicine, utensils, blankets to Kuki Chin refugees from Bangladesh

Doctor Without Borders along with Central Young Lai Association (YLA) on Monday conducted free clinic and distribute free medicines

The Lawngtlai district administration on Monday held a meeting to review the Kuki Chin refugees issue in the district and also discuss measures to be taken to provide the refugees that include women and children with food, medicines and other essentials.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amol Srivastava deliberated on how to continue the process of looking after the refugees and how to take care of more refugees who are likely to enter the district to take shelter there.

The DC informed that the district administration is constantly monitoring the presence of the refugees, and food and other requirements like utensils and blankets have been provided.

Health department officials provided medicines and conducted free clinics for the refugees while the police is ensuring the safety and security.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the CYLA, Bawm Students’ Association (BSA), Pang Zirlai Pawl (PZP) and Central Young Chakma Association (CYCA) apart from the district administration officials.

Central committee of the Young Lai Association (YLA), the largest civil society in Lawngtlai districts and other NGOs, as well as church leaders have visited Parva, the village in Lawngtlai district bordering Bangladesh, and provided relief materials to the refugees.

Doctor Without Borders along with Central Young Lai Association (YLA) on Monday conducted free clinic and distribute free medicines.

At least 293 Kuki Chins have fled from Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and taken shelter in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district’s Parva-III village near the India-Bangladesh-Myanmar tri-junction.

The displaced people fled Bangladesh following recent clashes between the joint forces of Arakan Army of Myanmar and Bangladesh Army, and the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA).

The KNA and its political wing the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) have been fighting for a separate state for the Kuki-Chin (ethnic Mizo) community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The refugees have been lodged in community hall, primary school, health sub-centre, anganwadi centre and high school buildings in Parva village.

Earlier, the first batch of 272 refugees from Bangladesh had entered Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district on November 20, following attacks on Cheihkhiang and nearby 3 villages in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh by a combine force of the Bangladesh army and the Arakan Army (AA), an underground outfit fighting for independence of the Rakhine (Arakan) state from Myanmar domination.

Again on November 26 another 21 refugees including women and children crossed over to Mizoram.

Government of India decided to help the refugees on humanitarian grounds and the Mizoram cabinet decided to temporary shelter to the refugees and provide them with food and essentials.

The Kuki Chins belong to the same ethnic stock as the Mizos of Mizoram.

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