Nearly 65,000 Myanmar refugees seek shelter in North-East India since 2021

Imphal: Nearly 65,000 people from Myanmar’s north-west region have crossed into India’s north-eastern states, particularly Manipur and Mizoram, seeking protection since February 2021, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh expressed concern over the rising influx, saying, “When I warned about this long ago, very few paid attention, including my colleagues. Today, UNHCR reports that nearly 64,300 Myanmar nationals have crossed into India since 2021. The unofficial numbers could be much higher, even multiple times more. We cannot afford to sit idle. We need to work harder before this issue consumes us.”

The UNHCR report states that around 6,800 arrivals have been registered with the agency in New Delhi. The influx has been exacerbated by intensified fighting in Myanmar’s Chin and Sagaing regions in May 2024, prompting more people to enter Mizoram.

In Manipur, authorities reported the deportation of approximately 360 of the 5,800 identified illegal migrants in Kamjong district, while biometric data of over 5,100 individuals was collected to aid future deportations. Special teams have been deployed to monitor arrivals across five border districts.

The humanitarian situation worsened following Cyclone Remant in late May 2024, which caused significant damage in Mizoram and Manipur. Food, shelter, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare have been identified as the most urgent needs for the refugees.

Officials and humanitarian agencies have called for coordinated action to address both the immediate relief requirements and long-term management of the growing refugee population in the region.