Mizoram CM says Myanmar refugee influx becoming a burden
By NE NOW NEWS
Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Thursday said the continued influx of displaced people from Myanmar has become a burden on the state and warned that more refugees may arrive in the coming months.
Speaking in Shillong, Lalduhoma said the ongoing situation in Myanmar had led to a steady flow of people seeking refuge in Mizoram.
“Due to the geopolitical condition there, we are getting many displaced people nowadays. It's likely that we will get more people seeking safety. This has become a burden for us,” the Chief Minister said.
Mizoram, which shares a porous border with Myanmar and has strong ethnic and cultural ties with communities across the frontier, has been hosting thousands of people who fled the neighbouring country following the military coup in 2021 and the subsequent civil war involving the Myanmar military and various Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs).
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid concerns over the humanitarian, administrative and financial challenges associated with the prolonged refugee influx.
State authorities have previously highlighted the strain on local resources, infrastructure and welfare services resulting from the continued arrival of displaced people.
Despite these challenges, Mizoram has continued to provide shelter and humanitarian assistance to those fleeing Myanmar, citing longstanding ethnic and historical links between communities on both sides of the border.