Myanmarese found dead in detention centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 26 2023: A Myanmarese national, who had been lodging at the foreigners' detention centre, Sajiwa Jail, was found dead on Sunday around 2.30 am.

The deceased has been identified as Lamkhochon Guite (32) son of late Chunglet Guite.

Police source said that he was among 80 Myanmarese nationals detained at the centre for illegally entering the state.

He was found dead inside his cell in the wee hours of Sunday.

A team of Heingang PS arrived at the spot and investigated the scene.

Later, his body was taken to JNIMS mortuary, where post mortem examination was conducted and handed it over to an NGO based in Moreh for conducting the last rites.

Police are yet to ascertain the cause of death.

Mention may be made here that Lamkhochon Guite was among several Myanmarese nationals arrested from H Lahangcham and New Salbung villages in Tengnoupal district on January 27 .

Meanwhile, the death of the Myanmarese national has drawn desperate appeals from rights groups to secure refugee rights for people fleeing junta atrocities since the February 2021 coup.

Lamkhochon Guite from Sayarsan village of Myanmar's Tamu Township died in the wee hours of Sunday.

Sources close to the family said Guite left behind his wife and a four-year-old son.

"It's very unfortunate.

It seems he had a cardiac arrest while in sleep, but we will wait for autopsy results.

There is nothing to suggest foul play.

They (Myanmar refugees) were sleeping in the same room, and he was a healthy person.

He never complained of any sickness," Sholal Touthang, Superintendent of Prison (SP) of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa told ThePrint.

However, blaming the Manipur government for "poor conditions at the detention centre", the government-appointed lawyer for the Myanmar refugees, David (goes by one name only), said "lack of facilities" might have led to this situation.

"When I received the news past midnight, I went to the detention centre and spoke with the inmates.

They said they heard noises, and people gathered around him (deceased) .

Some tried to revive him.

They took him to the Medical Inspection room, and he was declared dead," David told ThePrint.

"They are made to sleep on the floor, which is very cold.

There are elderly inmates above 60 years of age, couple of them with multiple surgeries or cardiac issues.

If they have to sleep on the floor for days and weeks, such complications are bound to happen.

It is the state government's fault, David alleged.

The refugees in Manipur are mostly from Sagaing Region, Chin State and Magway region of Myanmar.

They largely belong to the same ethnic group or Kuki-Chin-Zomi-Mizo tribe, bound by ethnic and kin ties.

The India for Myanmar group, an independent grassroots advocacy movement, cited ground report estimate of about "10,000 Myanmar refugees in Manipur, 50 per cent of which include women and children" .

(with inputs from ThePrint) .

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