Shillong, June 21: A report from the Manipur cabinet subcommittee reveals that more than 2,000 Myanmar nationals have established settlements within Manipur and are refusing to relocate to designated shelters.
However, Kuki civil society groups have accused the Manipur government of harassing Indian citizens under the guise of identifying illegal immigrants. The Kukis assert that they have been residing in the hills of Manipur for generations and have a historical background, including their participation in the Anglo-Kuki War against the British. They further allege that the ruling BJP government, led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, intends to label genuine Indian Kuki tribes as illegal immigrants.
Documents submitted by the cabinet subcommittee, headed by Tribal Affairs and Hill Development Minister Letpao Haokip, indicate that the team visited two areas in March and April of this year. During these visits, they encountered illegal immigrants and discussed the provision of humanitarian aid and shelters. The subcommittee, comprising Manipur ministers Awangbow Newmai and Thounaojam Basanta, gathered visual and audio evidence of their interactions with the illegal immigrants in Gamphazol (Senapati district) on March 29 and Singhat (Churachandpur district) on April 1.
The report states that the identification of such a large number of illegal immigrants during the initial phase of the field visits has caused panic among the settled immigrants. It reveals that the illegal Myanmar immigrants have established their own villages, which were contested during the identification exercise when the government proposed building shelter homes for them. The objections raised by the illegal immigrants to this proposal are cited as one of the reasons for the recent outbreak of violence.
The cabinet subcommittee has submitted all recorded visuals from their field visits to the state government. The report also highlights the impact of the Manipur government’s War on Drugs campaign on poppy cultivation and the narcotics business operated by Myanmar nationals in Manipur. It suggests that influential poppy cultivators and drug lords from Myanmar, who have settled in Manipur, have contributed to the recent violence. Letpao Haokip, the Tribal Affairs and Hill Development Minister, is among the 10 tribal MLAs who called for a separate administration following the outbreak of violence on May 3.
On June 15, Myanmar’s government-in-exile issued a statement urging its nationals temporarily sheltering in India to refrain from engaging in activities that could undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.