Mizoram: Over 600 Myanmar Refugees Return to State

AIZAWL: In a dramatic turn of events, 679 refugees from Myanmar returned to Mizoram at the end of September, sending the number of refugees in the state to around 33,000, according to data provided by the Mizoram government.

The latest wave of refugees consisted of 210 males, 247 females, and 222 children, who have been lodged in the Saitual district of Mizoram.

The other side has witnessed a huge leap from 227 to 906 Myanmar refugees before this return and these are lodged in three designated camps for the 89 refugees while the rest have opted to reside in rental houses, mostly with their own families.

The Mizoram Home Ministry believes that until today, the number of refugees stands at 10,119 males, 10,782 females, and 12,811 children. Of these, more than 16,000 people are staying in 132 camps operated by the state, while over 17,000 people are living outside the camps but staying with locals.

This is a defining moment in the ongoing refugee crisis from the upheaval in Myanmar, one that underlines continued challenges for displaced populations in this area.

A large number of refugees continue to enter India to avoid prosecution or death. Most of the influx of refugees has taken place in the North East Indian state of Mizoram.

The Home Department of the Government of Manipur lately stated that over 1500 new refugees from its neighboring Myanmar have entered the state of Mizoram. This inflow of refugees has occurred during the past week as stated by the department.

The department claims that since this new incident, the total refugees from the neighboring country have gone up to more than 35000. They are taking shelter in different parts of the state of Mizoram in Northeastern India.

The Myanmar Army has been battling a combined force of numerous insurgent ethnic groups, which has been the main reason for this long time of internal unrest within the land of Myanmar and is the cause for the current refuge situation that has been experienced in the region.

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