Mizoram witnesses influx of refugees amidst conflict in neighboring regions

At least 65 additional refugees, including 27 women and 24 children, have sought shelter in Mizoram’s southern Lawngtlai district from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) over the past two days, citing troubles arising from conflicts between the Bangladesh Army and armed ethnic groups in the region. The influx brings the total number of refugees from CHT in Mizoram to 1,433, with the newcomers primarily belonging to the Bawm and Pang communities of tribals, self-identified as the Kuki-Chin. The refugees have found refuge in Vathuampui village, where locals are providing them with essential sustenance.

This surge in refugee arrivals adds to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Mizoram, with over 6,520 individuals seeking refuge in the state, primarily from tribal groups such as Chin Kuki, Mizo, and Zomi, fleeing ethnic violence in Manipur. The Mizoram Home Department reveals that Saitual district hosts the highest number of displaced individuals, followed by Aizawl and Kolasib districts.

Notably, refugees from CHT initially fled to Mizoram in November 2022 amid armed confrontations between the Bangladesh Army and ethnic armed groups advocating for a separate state for tribal people in the CHT. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 has led to over 34,350 people from the Chin state seeking refuge in Mizoram, dispersing across all 11 districts of the state.