Aizawl: At least 383 Myanmar nationals, including women and children, have so far sneaked into Mizoram seeking refuge since late February following a military coup and a subsequent crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in the neighbouring country, a state home department official said on Monday.
He said about 98 per cent of the Myanmar nationals entering Mizoram claimed that they belonged to the police force and fire service.
But, they don't have documentary proofs in support of the claim, the official said.
Of the 383 foreign nationals, 297 have been already verified while 86 are yet to be verified or confirmed, the official said.
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Six Mizoram districts- Champhai, Lawngtlai, Siaha, Saitual, Hnahthial and Serchhip- share a 510 km long porous international border with Myanmar's Chin state.
According to the official, among the six border districts, only Saitual district has not reported any influx of refugees from the trouble-torn country after the coup.
He said that many of them were accommodated by the locals as a mark of showing hospitality towards strangers, which is part of the tradition of the Mizos.
Though the state government and Assam Rifles were trying their best to prevent illegal influx, the Myanmar nationals, who had already entered the state due to humanitarian crisis, could not be prevented due to the porous border.
The state government could not immediately push them back on humanitarian ground, he said.
Speaking to reporters, Lalramnghaka, village council president of Lungkawlh village in the Serchhip district, said that at least 19 Myanmarese are currently taking refuge there.
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While three persons were accommodated by a family in North Vanlaiphai village, 16 others are being provided with foods and other reliefs by residents of Lungkawlh village by raising community fund, he said.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga and Home Minister Lalchamliana had earlier said that the state government will on the humanitarian ground provide relief to the Myanmar nationals, who have entered the state due to the humanitarian crisis.
The Union Home Ministry on Friday cautioned four Northeastern states -- Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh -- bordering Myanmar against influx from the neighbouring country in the wake of largescale protests following a coup there, and asked them to take appropriate actions as per law.
In a communication, the home ministry told the four states to guard against the influx of civilians and government officials from Myanmar and take all precautions to deal with any such situation.
PTI
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