Imphal/Guwahati:
A report by the Manipur Cabinet Subcommittee on Identification of Illegal Migrants has said that more than 2,000 Myanmar nationals have settled inside Manipur and refused to go to designated shelters.
Kuki civil society groups have alleged that the Manipur government, in the name of trying to identify illegal immigrants, is harassing Indian citizens. The Kukis say they have been living in the hills of Manipur for a long time, even fighting against the British in what is now known as the Anglo-Kuki War. The BJP government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh only wants to identify genuine Indian Kuki tribes as illegal immigrants, alleged Kuki groups.
Documents filed by the Cabinet subcommittee headed by Tribal Affairs and Hill Development Minister Letpao Haokip show that the team visited the two areas on March 29 and April 1 this year, where they met illegal migrants and discussed with them the provision of humanitarian relief and shelter.
The Cabinet subcommittee, whose members include Manipur ministers Awangbo Newmai and Thaunaojam Basant.
also took photos, videos and audio recordings of their conversations with illegal immigrants on March 29 at Gamfajol in Senapati district and on April 1 at Sinha in Churachandpur district.
After the field visit, the Cabinet subcommittee gave its “preliminary findings” report to the state government on April 24, stating that it had identified 2,187 illegal immigrants in 41 locations (table below).
“The detection of such a large number of illegal immigrants in the first phase [of the field inspection] has itself caused panic among the illegal immigrants settled in the state,” the report said.
“During the identification operation, it was observed that the illegal Myanmarese migrants have established their own villages,” said the report, a copy of which is with TTN, attaching a video of their field visit to their submission of “preliminary findings”. .
“It was during this identification exercise that objections were rais to the establishment of such villages and it was suggest that the government construct shelters for them. Illegal migrants have raised strong objections to this proposal and this is one of the reasons for the recent outbreak of violence,” the report said.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Illegal Immigrants has given the State Government all other visuals recorded during their field visit.
It may also be not that the Manipur government’s anti-narcotics drive has badly affected the poppy cultivation in Manipur and the drug trade run by Myanmarese. Hence, behind the recent violence in Manipur. “Influential poppy farmers and drug dealers from Myanmar have settled in Manipur,” the report said.
Letpao Haokip, minister of indigenous affairs and hill development, was one of 10 indigenous legislators who called for a separate administration after the May 3 outbreak of violence.
“We are not aware of the report, but only those who came from Myanmar are those who migrated after the Myanmar crisis started and they number in hundreds. There are no illegal people in the hilly areas except them, the Kukis. Genuine legal Indian citizens. Ask the state government to make the survey reports public. days so that we can also verify,” said Ginja Vualjong, spokesperson for the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum
In a June 15 statement, Myanmar’s government-in-exile asked its citizens who are “temporarily sheltering” in India to “refrain from any act prejudicial to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
In a statement, the National Unity Government (NUG) asked Myanmar nationals to.
“shelter” in India and their organizations to avoid unnecessary involvement in Indian politics and administrative activities and to remain in harmony with their host communities. The NUG also appeal to Myanmar nationals not to be involv in drug trafficking.
Manipur is still reeling from the outbreak of ethnic violence between the valley-majority Meiti and hill-majority Kuki tribes. The Meitis’ demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category led to protests by the Kukis, which turned violent.
More than 100 people died. Both communities continue to accuse each other of atrocities. Internet has been shut down in the state since May 3.
