Myanmar refugees who fled to Mizoram after a series of fierce gun battles between the Chin National Defence Force and Chinland Defence Force over territory domination have started returning to their villages. Around 4,653 refugees, including women and children, have taken shelter in Mizoram after the withdrawal of the CNDF from Myanmar villages across the border on the Zokhawthar side. The Assam Rifles have been guarding the India-Myanmar border and recently stepped up their security to prevent smuggling and cross-border movement of militants. However, Myanmar nationals intending to reach India and take shelter in Mizoram are allowed to enter by the security forces on humanitarian grounds. The Mizoram government has decided to collect biometrics and biographic data of around 35,000 Myanmar refugees taking shelter in the northeastern state after a military coup in the neighboring country in February 2021. The large-scale exercise to collect biometric and demographic data will start by this month’s end, with Rs 38 lakh earmarked for the exercise and the expenditure borne by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
