Authorities in Mizoram have made significant progress in registering refugees from neighbouring countries through a biometric data collection drive. As of Friday evening, officials have successfully completed 65.82% of the biometric enrolment for refugees from Myanmar who are taking shelter in the state. Concurrently, the process for refugees from Bangladesh has seen 13.98% completion since the initiative began in late July.
Current Refugee Figures and Enrolment Status
According to the latest official records, the number of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram stood at 30,893 till Friday. This reflects a slight decrease from the 30,908 counted the previous week. Out of this total, the biometric details of 20,333 individuals have been captured and entered into the central Foreigners Identification Portal.
Officials noted that they are yet to add 49 new refugees who recently crossed into Mizoram from ‘K’ Haimual village in Tedim township of Myanmar's Chin state. This fresh influx is attributed to intensified attacks by the Myanmar Army ahead of the first phase of elections scheduled for December 28.
Progress on Bangladesh Refugee Enrolment
The biometric enrolment exercise is also underway for refugees from Bangladesh across several Mizoram districts. From a total of 2,374 identified Bangladesh refugees, data for 332 people has been collected so far, achieving the 13.98% completion rate.
The enrolment has seen full completion in some districts. All 249 refugees in central Mizoram's Serchhip district have been enrolled. South Mizoram's Lunglei district has completed the process for its 76 refugees, and Aizawl district has finished enrolling its 7 refugees from Bangladesh.
Ongoing Efforts and Implications
The systematic biometric data collection, which began at the end of July, is a crucial step by Indian authorities to maintain a record of foreign nationals seeking refuge in Mizoram. The exercise aims to streamline identification and potentially aid in the management of humanitarian assistance and security.
The situation remains fluid, especially along the Myanmar border, with ongoing conflict causing periodic arrivals. The completion of this enrolment drive will provide the state and central governments with a clearer demographic picture to plan and execute support measures for the sheltered populations.
