Imphal. A Manipur cabinet sub-committee report revealed that 2,187 illegal immigrants from Myanmar have set up settlements at 41 places in four districts. The sub-committee is headed by Tribal Affairs and Hill Development Minister Letpao Haokip.
The report said that the maximum number of 1,147 Myanmar nationals are currently living in Tengnoupal. It is followed by 881 in Chandel, 154 in Churachandpur and five in Kamjong. The sub-committee, whose members also include ministers of state Awangbo Newmai and Thounaojam Basanta, visited tribal-dominated districts in March and April. During this he met illegal immigrants, and talked about providing them humanitarian relief and shelter.
Before ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, the government had decided to identify and place in selected detention centers a Myanmar national who had previously sought asylum in the state. About 5,000 migrants, including women and children, have fled conflict-torn Myanmar since the army took power in February 2021. Haokip is one of 10 tribal legislators who have demanded a separate administration since the outbreak of ethnic violence on 3 May. Of the 10 MLAs, seven including Haokip belong to the BJP. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said last week that infiltrators and militants from across the border had fueled the ongoing unrest in the state and it was not enmity between two communities.
Manipur has an unfenced border of about 400 km with Myanmar. An official report said that the identification of such a large number of illegal immigrants in the first phase itself has become a cause of panic among the illegal immigrants settled in the state. The report is available with IANS. It said the Manipur government’s ‘war on drugs’ campaign has badly affected the opium cultivation and drug trade by Myanmar nationals in the state.
For this reason violence has been spread by them in Manipur recently. It is supported by the drug mafia of Myanmar. Various Kuki Citizens’ Organizations (CSOs) have been alleging that the Manipur government is harassing Indian citizens in the name of identifying illegal immigrants. The Kuki say they have lived in the hills of Manipur for decades, and even fought against the British in what is now known as the Anglo-Kuki War (1917–1919). The state has been ravaged by ethnic violence between the majority Meitei and Kuki tribes. In this, more than 120 people have been killed and more than 400 people of different communities have been injured.
Illegal immigrants from Myanmar set up settlements in Manipur
