India overlooks its declared immigrants policy, quietly shelters displaced Myanmar ethnic group

June 17, 2021

New Delhi: Contrary to its declared policy on ‘illegal immigrants,’ the NDA government is deliberately overlooking the entry of thousands of ‘refugees’ who have fled coup-hit Myanmar and entered the Northeastern state of Mizoram over the past few months, and taken shelter there.

Salai Lian Luai, Chief Minister of Myanmar’s Chin state, crossed over to India late last Monday (June 14) along with thousands of people through the border town of Champhai, which is located around 185 km from the state capital Aizawl. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who belongs to the Mizo National Front,  an ally of the NDA government at the centre, welcomed the migrants and offered them all due courtesy and hospitality.

In the case of the Rohingya displaced persons from the trouble-torn Rakhine state of Myanmar, however, the Union Government had taken a completely different stand in the Supreme Court in April, when the matter relating to the deportation of the Rohingyas came up for hearing. Arguing in favour of their deportation, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “They are illegal immigrants. We are in touch with Myanmar. Once Myanmar confirms their nationality, they are deported,” he said, adding, “India is not the capital of the immigrants of the world.”

When asked about India’s stand on the recent influx of Myanmar refugees into the state of Mizoram, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, passed the buck to the Union Home Ministry, which is the nodal ministry looking into the immigrants issue. Sources in the Home ministry said that they had issued an advisory, which is routine in nature, to not extend any hospitality to the immigrants from Myanmar, but that was ignored by the state government .

One official said India does not want to annoy Myanmar’s military Junta Government just now for the ‘greater strategic interest ‘ of the region. This was subsequently clarified by the MEA Spokesperson, who said that India fully supports the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) move for a peace initiative in Myanmar. At the same time, officials have also confirmed that the Chief Minister and 23 other lawmakers from the National League for Democracy (NLD) had taken shelter in different districts of Mizoram, especially those along the Myanmar border. The NLD is the party of former State Councillor, Aung San Suu Kyi, now removed from office, imprisoned and facing trial.  

ASEAN leaders met last month in Bangkok and met Myanmar’s Junta Chief, Min Aung Hlaing, for the first time, and reached a five point consensus on how to tackle the political crisis the country is facing. But Indian diplomatic circles are not very enthusiastic about the progress made since that meeting.

In an online Dialogue entitled ‘Impact of the Myanmar crisis on North east India,’ V S Sheshadri, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, said, “Restoration of democracy in Myanmar soon is not possible, even though the Junta Government has promised elections.” He said that ASEAN’s five point proposal had not taken off and, till date, names of the envoys have not been announced.

Even ASEAN countries are divided on the issue. Experts fear that China’s assertiveness on the Junta Government will make matters worse, especially after the recently concluded G-7 summit, with the leadership of those countries seeking to intervene in the region in a big way.