Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai district Level Committee on Myanmar Refugees, which held a meetingon Thursday decided that the guidelines issued for refugees on March 31 last year should be strictly enforced to ensure compliance by the refugees. The meeting, chaired by district deputy commissioner James Lalrinchhana decided to constitute Sub-Committee/Working Group to conduct in depth study on the conditions of the refugees taking shelter in the district as well as update the latest situation and to hold frequent meetings with aid agencies working for the refugees. As of Saturday last (April 27), there are 14,499 Myanmar refugees taking shelter in Champhai district which hosts maximum number of refugees from Chin state of Myanmar among 11 districts of the entire state, spreading over 47 towns and villages. While 6,346 refugees are lodged at 23 relief camps, 8,153 refugees are staying with their relatives and friends or in rented houses and work places.
Amongst the refugees 4,245 are males and 4,524 are females while there are 5,730 children. The meeting was informed that all the 14,499 refugees in the district have been profiled while 9,488 refugees have so far been issued temporary identity cards by the district administration officials. The meeting expressed the sentiments of the general public in the district that as the refugees continue to be sheltered in the district and the entire state due to the understanding and acceptance of the people of the state, they (refugees) are expected to adhere to the laws of the land and traditional values of the local populace who provide shelter to them. The refugees are also expected not to indulge in illegal activities like drug trafficking and other smuggling activities and in contravention to the rules and regulations governing the local people.
The committee, renamed as ‘Champhai District level Committee on Myanmar and Bangladesh Refugees’ as per instructed by the state government also agreed to have better and closer coordination with the village level committees to expeditiously share information about the conditions of the refugees, especially about the humanitarian assistance provided to them. There are, however, no refugees from Bangladesh taking shelter in the district as all the Bangladesh refugees are taking shelter only in southern Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district alone. The meeting also deliberated on the conditions of the Myanmar refugees lodged in the relief camps in regards to water supply, food, power supply and healthcare.
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