How is the Mizoram government training officials for biometric enrolment of Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees?

Aizawl, July 20 (NationPress) The Mizoram government has been actively training district-level officials to gather biometric and biographic information from Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees who have sought refuge in the northeastern state, as confirmed by officials on Sunday.

A representative from the Home Department mentioned that the initiative to document biometrics and biographic data of these refugees is set to commence this month (July).

The training sessions for district officials on the 'Foreigners Identification Portal and Biometric Enrolment' aimed at assisting displaced individuals from Myanmar and Bangladeshi nationals are nearing completion across all 11 districts of Mizoram.

The District Level Committee on Myanmar and Bangladesh Refugees (DLCMBR) is responsible for equipping officials and government personnel to ensure accurate identification and registration of these displaced individuals.

Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, a significant influx of refugees, including women and children, has been observed in Mizoram, with their current population estimated at around 35,000. Furthermore, approximately 5,000 Myanmar refugees have also found shelter in Manipur.

The Manipur government has nearly finalized the collection of biometric and demographic data for the refugees residing within its borders. In addition to the Myanmar refugees, over 2,370 members of the Bangladeshi Bawm community from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have been living in Mizoram for more than two years, having fled ethnic violence initiated by the Bangladesh Army against these tribals.

According to the Mizoram Home Department official, a budget of Rs 38 lakh has been allocated for this initiative, with funding provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The MHA previously instructed both the Manipur and Mizoram governments to promptly gather biographic and biometric data of 'illegal migrants' in both states. Both states have committed to undertaking the collection of data for Myanmar nationals.

A recent surge of over 4,650 people, including women and children from Myanmar, arrived in Mizoram earlier this month, seeking refuge in three locations within Champhai district. This influx followed intense armed conflict between the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), two anti-military ethnic groups, who were engaged in violent clashes for territorial control from June 28 to July 5.

Fortunately, with the situation along the India-Myanmar border stabilizing, most of the newly arrived Myanmar refugees have returned to their villages in Myanmar.

The Myanmar refugees, primarily from the Chin tribes, share significant ethnic and cultural similarities with the majority Mizos of Mizoram, and are currently residing in camps and with relatives across 11 districts in the state.

Moreover, the Bawm, also known as Bawmzo, represent a small ethnic community primarily located in the CHT of Bangladesh, and they possess nearly identical ethnic and cultural traits to the majority Mizos of Mizoram.

Home Department officials report that Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees are currently residing in 11 districts of Mizoram.

Myanmar's Chin state shares a 510 km mountainous border with six Mizoram districts: Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip.

Additionally, Mizoram's three districts, Mamit, Lunglei, and Lawngtlai, have a 318 km long border with Bangladesh.