Burmese migrants seek refugee status in Mizoram

More than 60,000 Myanmarese migrants in Mizoram are seeking ‘legal protection’ from the state government.

On behalf of the Burmese refugees living here, Zo Human Rights Global Network secretary Suanmoi Gangte urged the Young Mizo Association and the state government to forward their plight to the Centre to arrange refugee status for Myanmarese migrants in Mizoram.

Women League of Chinland coordinator Cherry Jahau admitted that they had migrated to Mizoram illegally saying, “There was no law to abide by. What we need is legal protection.” At a seminar on Burmese refugees and migrants in Mizoram organised by the YMA here recently, she maintained that Myanmarese migrants in Mizoram are ‘political refugees’. “They had left their country in fear of the military junta. It is sad that nobody is even keeping a record register of the number of people fleeing the country.

Jahau also disagreed with Central YMA president J H Zoremthanga’s support on the Indo- Myanmar development programmes such as the Kaladan project and border trade. All these development programmes may prove beneficial so far as the Indian Citizens are concerned. However, this will only increase forced labour and forceful confiscation of land from the ethnic tribes in Burma, she said. “What we want is sustainable development for the people which is impossible until and unless democracy is restored.” she added.