In a chilling of relationship between Mizos and Burmese migrant workers in Thanhril village, the latter have been told to move out of the village, 15 miles from Aizawl, capital of Mizoram state in northeast India by the end of September.
The move to force Burmese migrant workers out of the village comes in the wake of a brawl between locals and Burmese nationals on September 7 after the latter allegedly teased Mizo girls while they were bathing in the stream flowing near the village, according to Thanhril Young Mizo Association (YMA) Secretary Pu lalrinsanga.
"They (Burmese) tease local women when they bathe. This apart, some Burmese attacked local youths one night," Pu Lalrinsanga said.
"Social organizations from our village called a meeting and reviewed the situation of Burmese nationals present in the village. The meeting passed a resolution that they need to be driven out of the village before the end of September," Pu Lalrinsanga added.
Participants at the meeting, who decided on the repatriation of the Burmese from Thanhril village, were representatives of Mizo social organizations in Thanhril village such as the Young Mizo Association (YMA), Village Council (VC), the Mizo women group called the Mizo Hmeichia In suikhawm Pawl (MHIP) and Mizoram elder's group called Mizoram Upa Pawl (MUP) in Thanhril village.
However, the Burmese in Thanhril said that local people attacked three Burmese and a local was supposedly involved in teasing girls bathing in the stream.
"It was not a brawl between locals and Burmese. It was a one side attack by locals on three Burmese and a local who teased the local girls," said a Burmese in Thanhril village.
Three Burmese and a local were said to have received serious injures in the attack and were admitted to hospital, according to the Burmese in Thanhril village.
The deadline for the Burmese to move is September 30. However, it is not clear what action will be taken if they refuse to budge after the deadline.
"We will discuss about what action to take against those who flout the order after the deadline," Pu Lalrinsanga added.
Around 30 Burmese nationals are staying in Thanhril village. Most of them are working in stone quarries, farms, road construction sites and doing other manual work.
Some of the Burmese who are working in the stone quarry said that they received a notice for eviction from local organizations.
Meanwhile some Burmese with their families said that they have a problem moving at short notice. Therefore, they are likely to approach the local organizations and appeal to them for permission to stay in the village beyond the deadline.
Mass deportation of Burmese from Mizoram state by Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), the most powerful social organization in Mizoram state, occurred after a Burmese allegedly raped a local school girl in Aizawl in 2003. The move of the YMA against the Burmese drew criticism from international human rights groups.
