Nearly 600 Myanmar soldiers enter India, Mizoram alerts Centre
As the conflict between Myanmar's military regime and rebel forces escalates, nearly 600 Myanmar Army soldiers have sought refuge in India. Mizoram's government has informed the Indian central government of this situation and requested a quick repatriation of the soldiers. These troops fled to Mizoram's Lawngtlai district after their camps were overtaken by Arakan Army (AA) militants, an ethnic armed group from western Myanmar's Rakhine state. Notably, six Mizoram districts share a 510-kilometer international border with Myanmar's Chin state.
Why does this story matter?
In 2021, Myanmar's military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. This was followed by widespread protests that escalated into armed resistance as the army used brutal force. Three ethnic armed groups mounted a massive onslaught last October and have since taken over dozens of military installations and numerous towns in the north, near China's border. These groups banded together in 2019. The alliance includes the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
Mizoram CM discusses situation with Union Home Minister Shah
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah discussed the matter urgently during a Northeastern Council meeting in Shillong on Friday. Government sources emphasized Mizoram's call for speedy repatriation of the Myanmar personnel taking refuge in the state as concerns grow about rising tensions and their potential effects on regional stability. On Wednesday alone, 276 Myanmar soldiers with arms and ammunition arrived in Bandukbanga village on the Mizoram-Myanmar-Bangladesh border trijunction.
Mizoram's humanitarian assistance to fleeing soldiers
After the meeting, CM Lalduhoma told reporters, "People are fleeing from Myanmar to our country for shelter, and we are helping them on humanitarian grounds." "Soldiers of Myanmar keep coming, seeking shelter, and earlier we used to send them back by air. Around 450 army personnel were sent back," he added. The soldiers are currently housed in an Assam Rifles camp.
Myanmar military and armed rebels agree on ceasefire
The fighting came just days after Myanmar's military and the rebel alliance signed a ceasefire mediated by China. Notably, the joint offensive has presented the Myanmar military with its biggest battlefield test since the coup in 2021. It has also raised concerns in China about the possibility of disruptions to border trade and a refugee inflow. Last week, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Myanmar's military and ethnic armed groups agreed not to harm residents at the Chinese border.
Why Mizoram is concerned about influx of refugees
Between October 26 and December 8, 2023, over 578,000 people were freshly displaced in Myanmar, apart from the roughly two million already displaced prior to the October offensive, per the United Nations. Besides refugees from Myanmar, the Mizoram government claims it is sheltering about 12,000 Kuki-Zo people who fled an ethnic war with the majority, Meiteis, in Manipur. Thousands from Manipur fled to neighboring Mizoram after ethnic violence erupted between the two communities in May 2023.
