Mizoram's Chief Minister, Lalduhoma, declared on Thursday that his administration would abstain from gathering biometric data of refugees hailing from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Lalduhoma clarified that the Centre is presently extending support to the state government in offering aid to refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh, as well as internally displaced individuals from Manipur, seeking refuge within Mizoram.
Addressing the assembly, Lalduhoma disclosed that the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued directives to the state government in April of the previous year to compile biometric data of refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Despite initial efforts by the former Mizo National Front (MNF) government, which commenced training and appointed nodal officers in accordance with the Centre's directive, the Council of Ministers convened in September of the same year and resolved against proceeding with the collection of biometric and biographical information for refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
This decision was grounded on the rationale that undertaking such initiatives would be unwise, especially given the impending state assembly polls scheduled for November of that year.
"Our government has decided not to collect biometric details of Myanmar and Bangladesh refugees. During my meeting with the Union Home Minister in January, I told him that the Centre is using the existing portal, which is meant for deportation of illegal immigrants, for collecting biometric details of refugees," Lalduhoma said while replying to a question from opposition MNF member Robert Romawia Royte.
He said that the Myanmar and Bangladesh nationals, who took refuge in the state, feared deportation due to the Centre's directive to collect biometric data from them.
Upon request, the Home Minister gave him assurance that no refugees would be deported until peace is restored in the neighbouring countries, the chief minister said.
Lalduhoma also said that the state government is currently providing assistance to refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh and IDP from Manipur with its own resources.
He said that the Centre has also provided Rs 3 crore during the MNF rule and is continuously helping the present state government to provide assistance to the refugees and IDP.
According to the state Home department, a total of 32,221 Myanmar nationals are currently taking shelter in different parts of the state with Champhai district hosting the highest number of Myanmar refugees at 12,484.
At least 1,167 Bangladeshi nationals are also taking shelter in southernmost Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, it said.
Besides, more than 9,000 internally displaced people from Mizoram are also currently taking shelter in Mizoram, the Home department said.
The Myanmar refugees have taken shelter in the state since February 2021 after the military junta seized power, while the Bangladeshi nationals fled to Mizoram in November 2022 due to military offensive against an ethnic insurgent group by the Bangladesh army in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
The Kuki-Zo people from Manipur took refuge in Mizoram since May last year following ethnic violence with the majority Meitei community.
The Chin people from Myanmar, Bawm community from Bangladesh and Kuki-Zo people from Manipur share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
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