AIZAWL, Nov 22: The Mizoram government plans to relocate all refugees currently sheltered across various parts of the state to a single location to improve administrative efficiency and humanitarian assistance, according to Lalmuanpuia Punte, political adviser to the Chief Minister of Mizoram. Punte made the announcement following a meeting with officials from Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram, where more than 2,000 Bangladeshi refugees are currently taking shelter.
During the meeting on Thursday, Punte emphasized the need for establishing proper guidelines to prevent refugees from settling or relocating freely across the state. He said the government’s plan to consolidate the refugees in one designated location would not only streamline administrative processes but also allow for more effective delivery of humanitarian aid.
Punte revealed that the plan is specifically aimed at relocating 2,014 refugees from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), who are currently dispersed across various villages in Lawngtlai district, to four designated villages within the district. The district, which shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, is currently home to 6,030 refugees from Myanmar, 84 internally displaced persons from Manipur, and 2,014 refugees from Bangladesh, according to Deputy Commissioner Cheemala Siva Gopal Reddy.
The Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizoram’s largest civil society organization, has previously urged the state government to establish a systematic mechanism for managing and accommodating refugees and internally displaced persons. YMA has called for proper shelter homes and a more organized approach to handle the over 42,000 refugees and displaced individuals in the state.
According to the state home department, over 33,000 Myanmar nationals, including 12,572 children, are currently sheltering across Mizoram’s 11 districts. These refugees began arriving in the state following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021. Additionally, 7,756 internally displaced persons from Manipur have sought shelter in various parts of Mizoram.
The refugees from Bangladesh, mainly the Bawm people from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), began migrating to Mizoram in November 2022, following a military offensive by the Bangladeshi army targeting an ethnic insurgent group. The government’s efforts to relocate and manage the refugees are part of broader ongoing initiatives to address the humanitarian needs of displaced populations in the state, with the government prioritizing systematic management for the safety and welfare of all those affected
