Mizoram Home Minister K. Sapdanga informed the Assembly that over 29,000 people from Myanmar, displaced by the ongoing conflict in the neighbouring country, are currently taking refuge in the state.
Responding to a question from ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) legislator V. L. Zaithanzama on the opening day of the monsoon session, Sapdanga said district administrations across Mizoram have started the biometric enrollment of displaced persons to maintain updated records. “Altogether, 29,046 Myanmar nationals are taking shelter in Mizoram as of August 11,” he told the House.
The influx of refugees into Mizoram began after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, which plunged the country into violent conflict between the junta and pro-democracy groups, particularly in Chin state. The Chin people share close ethnic, cultural, and even familial ties with the Mizos, leading civil society groups and church bodies in the state to open their doors to those fleeing the violence.
According to official figures, Myanmar nationals are currently scattered across all 11 districts of Mizoram, with Champhai—lying along the border—hosting the highest number, over 13,500. Despite limited resources, the state government, supported by community initiatives, has been providing shelter, food, and basic facilities to the displaced families.
Sapdanga further told the Assembly that the Centre is pushing ahead with plans to fence the India-Myanmar border in consultation with the state government, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Assam Rifles, which guards the frontier. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long porous border with Myanmar, through which not only refugees but also trade and cultural exchanges have traditionally flowed.
However, the proposal to fence the border has been met with sharp resistance from Mizoram’s influential civil society organisations, including the Young Mizo Association (YMA), student groups, and church leaders. They argue that fencing will sever deep-rooted ethnic and cultural links between communities living on both sides of the border, disrupting the traditional practice of free movement.
While the Centre maintains that fencing is crucial to check illegal migration, smuggling, and insurgent activities, the Mizoram government has been treading a delicate line—acknowledging New Delhi’s security concerns while also recognizing the humanitarian and ethnic dimension of the refugee crisis.