New Delhi: Besides civilians, Myanmar’s Members of Parliament (MPs), politicians, many ‘Tatmadaw’ (the Myanmar military) personnel, policemen and their families are making a beeline to Mizoram and its capital Aizawl to escape the wrath of the General Min Aung Hlaing-led Junta that has launched a brutal crackdown after effecting a coup on February 1, 2021.
“About 16 MPs have entered, of which most are of Chin ethnicity from Chin state. The others are from the eastern province of Mon State, some from Mandalay, and some from Arakan too. But we think more are waiting to enter. People from Myanmar are entering Mizoram on a daily basis now,” K Vanlalvena, Rajya Sabha MP from Mizoram, told ETV Bharat on the phone from Mizoram.
“MPs, MLAs, army personnel and policemen are being housed in the refugee camp set up in Aizawl. Most of the civilians are staying with their relatives scattered in about 13 villages in the Indian side after crossing the porous border from Myanmar.”
The politicians including the MPs are from the Daw Aung San Suu Suu Kyi-led National Democratic League (NLD).
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After a decade long experiment with democracy, the ‘Tatmadaw’ led a coup on February 1 after an electoral verdict in November 2020 overwhelmingly favoured the NLD. The NLD bagged 396 seats of the total 476, while the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) got just 33.
An overwhelming majority in Mizoram and many people in Manipur belong to the Kuki-Mizo ethnic group which share common ethnic, linguistic, cultural and kinship ties with the Chin people inhabiting the Chin State in the western Myanmar.
Mizoram has a 510 km long international border with Myanmar that stretches across the Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual districts.
More than 2,200 people have been given refuge in Mizoram ever since the ‘Tatmadaw’ crackdown began.
“Most people in Myanmar know that the government and the people of Mizoram are welcoming them and that is why most of them have come to Mizoram. To help them, NGOs have started a fund collection drive from the local Mizo people, commercial establishments and others. Till now more than Rs 30 lakh has been collected,” Vanlalvena said.
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Meanwhile, more than 700 people have lost their lives in the ‘Tatmadaw’s crackdown till now. The dead include pro-democracy activists, anti-regime protesters, bystanders and other civilians.
The dead does not include those killed in the fierce civil-war type fighting going on between the ‘Tatmadaw’ and various rebel ethnic groups including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Karen National Union (KNU), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Shan State Army-North, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army.
