Mizoram's Refugee Biometric Data Collection: Delayed but in Discussion with Centre

The Mizoram government has yet to collect biometric data of refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh despite discussions with the Centre. Home Minister K Sapdanga reported the delay to the assembly, citing reasons such as pending talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the upcoming state assembly polls in November.

The Mizoram government has not yet collected biometric data of refugees from neighboring countries, Home Minister K Sapdanga informed the assembly on Wednesday.

In response to a query from opposition MLA Robert Romawia Royte, the Home Minister said the matter is under discussion with the Centre.

''The state government is currently in talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs over the collection of biometric data of the refugees,'' the Home Minister confirmed.

Sapdanga highlighted that 33,724 Myanmarese nationals and 2,014 Zo ethnic people from Bangladesh have sought refuge in the state as of August 13. Additionally, 7,999 internally displaced people from Manipur have also taken shelter in Mizoram.

Most of the Myanmarese refugees, from the Chin state, share ethnic ties with the Mizo. The Bawm people, another Mizo tribe from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts, migrated to Mizoram in November 2022. The Kuki-Zo people from Manipur, who share ethnic ties with the Mizo, have been sheltering in Mizoram since May 2023 due to ethnic violence.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma earlier stated that a biometric enrollment portal is ready and will be used shortly, as per the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Last April, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed Mizoram and Manipur to capture biometric and biographic details of 'illegal immigrants' by September. However, the Mizoram Council of Ministers decided against conducting these enrollments due to the upcoming state assembly polls in November.

(With inputs from agencies.)