1300 Myanmar refugees taking shelter in Manipur’s Kamjong: Officials

Five Manipur districts– Churachandpur, Chandel, Kamjong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul, share a 398-km-long international border with Myanmar. Kamjong district alone shares a 109 km border with Myanmar

About 1300 Myanmarese, who fled their country in the past few days amid the unrest, have taken refuge in Kamjong, a border district in Manipur, officials said on Thursday.

The people from Myanmar fled to Manipur following heavy-gun fighting between Myanmar army and rebel groups (Representative Photo)

“At the moment, about 1300 refugees (from Myanmar) are taking shelter in Phaikoh, Human Thana, K Ashang Khullen Aze, Namlee and Wanglee villages in Kamjong district,” Kamjong deputy commissioner Rangnamei Rang Peter said.

“Until Wednesday (November 29), about 782 biometrics have been recorded,” he added.

Five Manipur districts– Churachandpur, Chandel, Kamjong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul, share a 398-km-long international border with Myanmar. Kamjong district alone shares a 109 km border with Myanmar.

Currently, the Assam Rifles are reportedly manning the border region to check cross-border movement.

According to the district administration, the lack of a proper border fence in Kamjong district is one major problem in preventing illegal infiltration from crossing over to the Indian side.

The crackdown of the military on rebel groups in Myanmar border villages has triggered a mass influx of Myanmar nationals into Manipur.

Altogether, around 718 Myanmar nationals, including 209 male, 208 female and 301 children, were reported taking shelter at New Lajang, Yangnomphai sawmill, Yangnomphai, New Samtal, Bonse, Aivomjang and Lajang in Manipur’s border districts in July this year, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Chief minister N Biren Singh had in February had informed the Manipur assembly that altogether 393 Myanmar nationals were apprehended in the state for illegally entering India between January 2012 and February 2023.

In March 2023, the state had even planned to set up a temporary shelter home which could accommodate around 5,000 people after Myanmar nationals started migrating to Manipur, in the view of escalating crisis in Myanmar.