Over 20 twenty Chin families in Vaphai tract group in Champhai district, Mizoram northeast state of India have been rendered homeless being asked to leave their homes in the village by April 9 by authorities.
Champhai district Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) and the NGO groups – the Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizo Upa Paw (MUP), Village Council (VC), and Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) in Vaphai village have ordered Burmese nationals belonging to 23 families, not included in the electoral rolls (voter’s list), to leave Mizoram by April 9.
“Some of them staying near the villages of Vaphai do not want to go back to Burma and cannot sell all their domestic animals. They have been keeping a check on their properties secretly,” said a local.
“Most of the victims have been staying in Phaibawk for over five years and they do not have Burmese national identity cards so they cannot go back to their country. They are to be pushed out of Mizoram and they are aware that they will face severe hardship in Burma once they go back,” he added.
The 20 Chin families have already been driven out of the village, but their 40 children who are attending school are being allowed to stay with relatives.
Meanwhile, some elders in Saikhumphai plan to request leaders of Vaphai village, NGOs and Champhai authorities to resettle the Chin families.
Champhai Additional SP Pu Ngurdingliana Sailo said ‘We discussed this issue on 15 February with Vaphai village NGO leaders, some representatives from Saikhumphai village and Champhai Officer-in-Charge at the Khawbung BDO office and decided to push out foreigners from Mizoram.”
One reason is Burmese citizens are trying to settle in these areas and acquiring their own houses and farms. The village is located on the Indo-Burma border road and it is being used for smuggling of arms and drugs to Mizoram, the Additional SP added.
Villagers in Phaibawk of Vaphai tract group in Champhai district have requested for a separate voting booth to the local authorities.
Saikhumphai village has 60 households and is located four kilometers away from Vaphai village. Most of the villagers are from Falam township in Chin state and Kalemyo in Sagaing division, western Burma. They mainly depend on farming and raising domesticated animals for their living. - Khonumthung News
