Newmai News Network
Imphal: Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights in Manipur and the United Nations (CSCHR) have strongly reacted to a recent statement of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) regarding the deportation of 77 Myanmar nationals which they later termed forced deportation.
To date, there have been no instances of forcibly deporting any of the refugees or immigrants who entered Indian territory in Manipur.
“Neither the government nor civil society organizations have any intention of mistreating these unfortunate people who fled their homes to save their lives,” CSCHR convener Phulindro Konsam wrote a letter to the ICJ while giving a detailed account of the situation in Manipur pertaining to immigrants.
The CSCHR appreciates ICJ’s acknowledgement and concern for the human rights situation in the Western Southeast Asian region (WESEA), particularly in Manipur (India) and Myanmar.
However, CSCHR felt compelled to bring to your attention some discrepancies in the information presented in your recent statement, it said.
“It seems that the ICJ’s conclusions on the issue of illegal immigration and periodic exodus from Myanmar to Manipur may be based on misinformed or unauthenticated sources, as they do not align with the ground reality that we have observed and worked with over the years,” Konsam stated.
As a group within CSCHR comprising organizations working under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) for several decades, have been closely monitoring and addressing the issue of immigration due to instability in neighbouring countries.
“However, we have never observed any instances where competent agencies dealing with the matter have breached or violated fundamental principles of human rights protection,” he also wrote in the letter.
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He stated that the recent repatriation of 77 Myanmar nationals was conducted by the district administrations on both sides of the border, and it was their own choice to return to their respective villages as the situation in the area returned to normal.
They expressed a desire to resettle in their native villages, and there were no lapses or intentions of forcible deportation.
Since the eruption of violent conflict in Myanmar, thousands of Myanmar nationals have fled their homes and entered the sovereign territory of India in the Manipur and Mizoram sectors since 2021.
Initiatives have been taken by the government to identify them, and several shelter homes have been built as temporary shelters.
However, the majority of immigrants or refugees have shown reluctance to stay in these camps and have opted to build permanent cottages in the area illegally.
Konsam stated that according to a survey conducted by a government-appointed cabinet sub-committee headed by Minister Letpao Haokip, upon arrival at the site of inquiry, the majority of the immigrants or refugees protested against staying in the shelter camps and instead began building permanent cottages inside the Gamphajol Areas, planning to settle permanently without undergoing any due citizenship processes under established law.
“Despite this, we have been urging the government to provide assistance for all immigrants and allow them to stay in the identified camps set up by the government until they are willing to return to their respective native places,” the CSCHRconvener stated in the letter.
To date, there have been no instances of forcibly deporting any of the refugees or immigrants who entered Indian territory, and neither the government nor civil society organizations have any intention of mistreating these unfortunate people who fled their homes to save their lives.
While denying the forced deportation which the ICJ termed in its statement, the CSCHR provided brief data regarding illegal immigrants detected in the Kamjong district of the state as of May 7, 2024, while putting the total cumulative cases of detection of illegal migrants at 5457.
Of this total, biometric data of 5173 have been captured and a total of 329 have moved back voluntarily to Myanmar.
No FIR cases registered for any of the illegal immigrants to date, he stated.
Konsam also mentioned a recent letter written to the Manipur chief minister by the concerned elected representative of the area in which Leishiyo Keishing has indicated an alarming situation with deep concern over the increase in criminal activities, where local law enforcement agencies are finding it difficult to apprehend and control the situation.
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The immigrant population has outnumbered the local indigenous inhabitants in the said area, as reported by the concerned MLA.
This phenomenon is not unique and rare, as many European countries are already experiencing such alarming situations due to immigrants.
“However, in Manipur, it is even more concerning as the immigrant population has been continuously engaging in various serious illegal activities such as illicit drug and small arms trafficking from across the border, massive opium poppy cultivation in encroached immigrant population infiltrated areas, massive deforestation, and the expansion of 996 illegal villages solely by the immigrant population,” the letter also said.
Additionally, immigrant armed groups have been involved in the recent violence since May 3, 2023, putting the indigenous population of the region in jeopardy.
“We appreciate ICJ’s concern for the people who have been suffering under the guise of political instability and geopolitical interests in the region. However, we urge ICJ to ensure that any future statements or actions are based on accurate information and a comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground,” the CSCHR convener stated in the letter.
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At the same time, he also stated that CSCHR said it is ready to extend necessary cooperation and coordinate with ICJ to uphold the principle of basic human rights and deliver justice to those who need it the most. However, it cautioned against drawing conclusions without thorough investigation.
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