Refugee camps sans strict vigil fraught with risk
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 03, 2023 -

YET another inspection visit to Singhat sub-divisional headquarters in Churachandpur district on Saturday by the three-member Cabinet Sub-Committee on Identification of Illegal Immigrants to select site/structure for sheltering those flocking to the state from the restive Myanmar underscores belated realisation and growing concern of the government over gravity of the situation arising out of presence of refugees in border areas.

Under the Free Movement Regime (FMR), people settling on both sides of the Indo-Myanmar border belt are permitted to cross over into each other's territories up to 16 kilometres and stay overnight for trading and other purposes.

Before the military coup in Myanmar, the cross border movement created no serious issues as the villagers were mainly on the lookout for source of sustenance even though certain elements took advantage of the FMR to push in drugs and other contraband goods into this side of the boundary.

However, with frequent incidents of gun-fights between the military junta and resistance groups, the border areas in Manipur and Mizoram had been witnessing increasing number of refuge seekers.

The situation in Myanmar after the military (Tatmadaw) overturned the election results unleashed a cycle of political repression, humanitarian disaster and geopolitical instability, consequently affecting India, because of its proximity to Myanmar, geopolitical role and potential to reap from mineral resources of the neighbour.

Apart from the Myanmar crisis affecting trade and commerce activities, the immediate challenge out of the evolving situation is in dealing with the refugee crisis. Sensing imminent cross-over, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga wrote to the Centre in 2021 making it clear that India cannot ignore the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the backyard, and remain indifferent to the suffering of those crossing the border.

Similar to the Mizoram government's humane gesture towards the fleeing Myanmarese and setting up refugee camps, government of Manipur too annulled an order issued in late March, 2021 that had instructed deputy commissioners of border districts to put in place stringent measures to check entry of refugees fleeing from the restive Myanmar.

The DCs of Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts were advised not to provide shelter to the Myanmarese refugees.

However, another circular addressed to the DCs three days later withdrew the earlier order along with clarifying that the earlier restrictive order 'appeared to have been misconstrued and interpreted differently'.

As keeping tab on the number of refugees and their movement has become imperative to prevent naturalisation with the local population not to mention about possible outrage among certain section of the society in case their kindred tribes from Myanmar are denied safe haven in the state, the government of Manipur has initiated establishment of shelter homes in the border districts.

As per the new policy, Myanmarese nationals who enter Manipur would be identified and kept in a shelter home, provided food, lodging facility and other basic amenities including health care on humanitarian ground, identity card issued to the inmates and allowed to stay in the camp/homes until normalcy returns in their home country or any order is made by the state or central authority.

As Manipur shares around 400 km of unfenced border with Myanmar, which is the main source of smuggling of drugs, gold, exotic animals and other contrabands, it might be difficult for the law enforcement agencies to detect and detain the refugees in the designated camps.

Thus, priority should be on keeping strict vigil on at-least those putting up in such homes or camps so that they do not wander around and mix up with the locals to prevent socio-ethnic complications.