Myanmar crisis: Mizoram MP seeks Centre’s intervention, urges MHA to protect refugees

Mizoram Rajya Sabha Member K Vanlalvena on Tuesday during the Zero Hour in the Parliament, urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider the plight of protesters against military rule in Myanmar and relax its policy towards Myanmar refugees crossing over into India.

An official release said, Vanlalvena informed the House that over 300 Myanmar nationals who have crossed the border are currently taking shelter in Mizoram, of which about 150 are police personnel.

The release said that the state government and NGOs in Mizoram have been providing immediate help and shelter to these refugees.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs had recently directed to Chief Secretaries of four northeastern states bordering Myanmar to not entertain Myanmar refugees, and instructed the Assam Rifles to seal the border and prevent entry.

Vanlalvena told the House that it would not go down well with the people in Mizoram if the Central government insists on deporting these refugees, who belong to the Mizo ethnic tribe, and it is not possible to deport them until the situation in Myanmar improves.

“Being the largest democracy in the world, it is the responsibility of India to encourage and support any struggle to protect and uphold democratic rights and principles. With the whole world watching, India should come forward to extend its helping hand to protect the Myanmar refugees,” the official release said.

Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had asked four northeastern states which share borders with Myanmar to take appropriate action to check the influx of refugees from the trouble-torn nation.