Guwahati, June 4: As the Centre moves ahead with fencing sections of the India-Myanmar border, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Thursday expressed concern over the continuing influx of refugees from conflict-hit Myanmar, saying the situation has become a significant burden for the state.
Speaking to reporters in Shillong, Lalduhoma said the deteriorating geopolitical situation in Myanmar is forcing more people to seek refuge in Mizoram.
“Due to the geopolitical conditions there, we are getting many displaced people nowadays. We will likely get more people seeking safety. This has become a burden for us,” he said.
His remarks come amid the Centre’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border management along the India-Myanmar frontier, including the construction of border fencing.
Mizoram, which shares a long and porous border with Myanmar and has deep ethnic and cultural ties with communities across the frontier, has been sheltering thousands of people who fled the neighbouring country following the military coup and subsequent armed conflict.
Officials estimate that more than 40,000 refugees from Myanmar are currently taking shelter in Mizoram. The state government has recently initiated a biometric enrolment drive to document those who have crossed into India seeking refuge.
The refugee influx has placed increasing pressure on local resources and infrastructure, particularly in border areas. Zokhawthar, a key border town in Champhai district, illustrates the scale of the challenge. According to officials, the village had a population of less than 3,000 in the 2011 Census but is now hosting around 8,000 refugees from Myanmar.
While Mizoram has largely adopted a humanitarian approach towards those fleeing violence, concerns have grown over the long-term social, economic and administrative impact of accommodating such a large displaced population.
India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar across the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. The Centre has been pursuing measures to strengthen border security in recent years, including plans for fencing and tighter regulation of cross-border movement.
