The Manipur government is planning to set up a temporary shelter home near the border town of Moreh to accommodate around 5,000 undocumented immigrants from Myanmar who are fleeing the conflict torn country.
A Cabinet sub-committee of Ministers Letpao Haokip, Awangbow Newmai, and Th Basanta Singh under Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s supervision on Sunday visited Moreh to inspect the area where the shelter home is expected to come up and also interacted with the immigrants.
The Manipur ministerial team led by L Haokip interacted with the Myanmar refugees and later told the media that the Myanmar nationals would be deported to their land soon after the war-like situation in Myanmar settles down.
Among the refugees, Myanmar MP Thangsel Haokip, who is also taking shelter in Manipur, reportedly informed the Manipur ministerial team that they would like to take shelter in the Indian territory till the time violent clashes between the Myanmar military and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) rebels continue in Saingang region of Myanmar that borders with the Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.
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Letpao Haokip, on the other hand, said that only identified refugees will be lodged at the temporary shelter home by conforming to all protocols
Officials said the Manipur government will provide essential commodities and basic amenities at the shelter home. Security personnel will also be deployed there and the shelter homes will also have a health center.
On Saturday, N Biren Singh announced that a sub-committee has been formed to monitor the immigrants who have taken refuge in Kamjong and Churachandpur districts. He made an earnest appeal to send the undocumented immigrants to the temporary shelter home.
He said the biometric data of the immigrants at the shelter home will be taken and they will be given proper identification cards. “When the situation improves in Myanmar, they will be sent back,” he added.
Meanwhile, a notification issued by district magistrate Tengnoupal Ranjan Yumnam on Monday stated that a special drive of verification and checking of illegal immigrants taken up by the state government is going on in the district.
The general public is directed to report to the respective police stations, law enforcing agencies, and security agencies in the district in case any one identified or suspected to be a Myanmar national is detected or found living in their respective villages, it stated.
Facilities for providing temporary accommodation, food, safety and medical help are being developed by the government at Haolenphai village, Moreh subdivision, Tengnoupal district, Manipur, it mentioned.
“Such illegal immigrants will not be arrested or detained. They will be extended all humanitarian assistance temporarily till they are properly being deported or any further decision as regard to them is taken up by the competent Central and state government Authorities,” it mentioned.
It further stated that in the event of any such case found, they should be reported without fail. Anyone or any village authority found harboring/providing accommodation/shelter without the permission of the government, stringent legal action as deemed fit shall be taken up as per law of the land and prosecuted, it added.
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