After ILP, focus on detecting illegal immigrants
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: March 30, 2023 -

IT is now getting increasingly clear with each passing day that the multi-ethnic composition of the society will be the biggest hurdle in addressing the problem of illegal immigrants.

Prior to reintroduction of the highly anticipated Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, both formal and casual discourses revolved around sharp increase in the number of migrant workers from different parts of the country.

The drastic change in the demography and apprehension over imminent marginalisation of the indigenous communities in their own place of birth triggered widespread protests, including violent ones especially in the valley pockets, almost on a daily basis, and frequently brought the state to a standstill, with the students hardest hit of all sections of the society.

Apart from killings associated with the decades old insurgency movement and other crimes, public movement demanding re-implementation of the ILP system created serious law and order issue that not only forced parents to send off their wards to other states for disturbance-free-education but also turned Manipur into a hostile region for outsiders, with exception of migrant workers.

The restive situation ended immediately when the centre announced promulgation of the ILP even though there were voices of scepticism on the ground that regulating entry of non-locals without identifying and deporting foreign nationals wouldn't make any significant change.

Nearly four years after reintroduction of the ILP system, there has been neither decline in the number of migrant labourers and semi-skilled workers nor of foreigners, with the latter in particular seen as a greater threat than those coming into the state in search of a better livelihood.

With the ILP only serving for keeping official count on entries of non-locals and extending their stay after renewal of permit, posers are being raised over sincerity and commitment of the government authorities as well as work agencies with regard to effective enforcement of the regulatory law and its compliance as many migrant workers are being periodically detected without possession of valid permit or had not followed the mandated renewal process.

Such a flaw in the system is exactly the reason why the government is carrying out, if any, special drive for verification and checking of illegal migrants and immigrants.

The proposed drive and the notification issued on March 27 by the Tengnoupal district magistrate corroborate that presence of non-indigenous people in the state has assumed serious proportion.

According to the Tengnoupal DM's notification, the public shall have to report presence of both illegal migrants and immigrants to the nearest police stations or law enforcement agencies.

Notably, the district magistrate acknowledged apprehension among the public on the issue of influx of illegal immigration from across the Indo-Myanmar border, and assured of immediate steps for proper identification to prevent such individuals from naturalisation amongst the native population.

Though the move indicates resolve of the government to allay the public apprehension, there is doubt that the drive might yield the desired result for there is strong possibility of specific communities providing logistic support and shelter to the infiltrators and later aiding their subsequent assimilation with the kindred tribe settling in remote parts of the state.