Mizoram authorities asked around one hundred people from 20 Chin households in Saikhumphai to leave the village on January 25th because they were not on the Mizoram electoral rolls (voter’s list). The homes of the remaining households were destroyed.

“Nine houses were destroyed on Saturday and eight were demolished on Monday, totaling 17 houses. The demolition was done by the local police. Chin villagers have been escaping to the jungle,” according to a Chin national from Saikhumphai.
Now, a hundred Chin villagers are taking refuge in the jungle in temporary tents near the Indo- Burma border.

“I went to see them and felt sorry. They have not committed any crime. They lived on jhum cultivation in the village,” a Chin elder said.

Ethnic Chin villagers from Saikhumphai do not have homes, land, property or national identity cards in Chin State, Burma, so most villagers do not have the courage to return.

Chin nationals from Saikhumphai, who were resettled from Chin State have been allowed to stay in the village by Vaiphai village authorities since 2008.

Mizoram authorities have been trying to drive out Chin nationals from Saikhumphai since last year, after the Saikhumphai villagers claimed to have formed a separate village council for Vaphai village. Saikhumphai village had 60 households.

About 95% of the Saikhum villagers come from Chin State., they are taking positions on the village council committee even though they are not Indian citizens, which has lead observers to suggest Mizo residents of the area may resent their presence.