Residents decry lack of help as Myanmar refugee influx overwhelms Mizoram

Residents said the refugee numbers have swelled but there has been no significant increase in aid from the state or central government

A fresh batch of over 4,000 refugees last month fled the violence-hit Myanmar to Mizoram’s Zokhawthar village, already bursting at the seams since the beginning of the crisis in the neighbouring country. Ngurchhawna, a Zokhawthar resident, has been sheltering 25 refugees. He is not alone, as Mizoram, with a population of just over a million, faces an overwhelming refugee influx.

Zokhawthar, a village of around 5,000 people, alone hosts over 8,000 refugees. (Sourced)

Zokhawthar, a village of around 5,000 people, alone hosts over 8,000 refugees. Many households are accommodating up to 25 refugees. “We do not even have time for ourselves and are sheltering almost double our village population,” Ngurchhawna said.

Residents say Tlawmngaihna, a central tenet of Mizo culture, relating to selflessness, altruism, and a commitment to helping others, drives them to open their homes to strangers fleeing violence. They are now stretched thin and facing difficulties such as a lack of food. “The major problem is food. We can still manage shelter, but relief materials are rapidly dwindling,” said Ngurchhawna, who is part of a village-level committee for Myanmar refugees.

The committee has been lobbying for support from the government without much response. “Local authorities tried their best, but we often come back empty-handed.”

Residents echoed a sense of abandonment across the border villages. “The majority of [Zokhawthar] households are dependent on the government’s rationing [for foodgrains]...with so many guests in every household, I do not know how long we will manage. It is up to God who can provide for us,” Ngurchhawna said.

Waves of refugees, mostly from Chin State, have been crossing into Mizoram since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. According to the latest government data, the state has over 40,000 refugees from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and internally displaced people from Manipur.

The numbers have swelled, but there has been no significant increase in aid from the state or central governments. Local communities grappling with limited resources are being asked to shoulder the burden.

In villages such as Farkawn, which is hosting over 1,200 refugees, frustration has begun to boil over. The village committee has warned the refugees to shut down unauthorised businesses or face eviction. “We have identified 15 illegal shops—barber shops, vehicle workshops, grocery stores—being operated by refugees,” said P Lalparliana, the secretary of the joint Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Farkawn.

The sudden spike in population has also led to a water crisis and environmental concerns in Farkawn. “Relief is drying up, so are the village’s water sources, and many refugees have turned to the forest for survival. We recently confiscated sacks of wild orchids from them,” Lalparliana said.

Overharvesting of forest resources has raised fears of long-term ecological degradation.

J Vanlalruata, a YMA functionary in Cherhlun, said they are sheltering over 30 refugee families. “We have not granted them permission to cultivate lands...without aid, we do not know how long we can continue to support them.”

Thingsai North resident Vanlalhuma Sailo expressed concerns over illegal farming, logging, and boundary violations. “Our fields and vegetable gardens are not safe anymore. We have issued notices to refugees to respect Indian laws,” he said.

The porous India-Myanmar border is one of the key challenges. Ngharchhip-resident Chhuanawma said the Tiau River, marking the international boundary, can be easily crossed. “Recently, a drunken brawl broke out in a refugee camp. By the time we reached the site, the culprits had crossed back into Myanmar.”

The law enforcement has been dysfunctional as Myanmar remains in disarray. “There is no functioning administration on the other side. Lawbreakers roam free,” said Chhuanawma.

A clash among pro-democracy resistance groups on communal lines raised fears of more rifts. Residents have been hosting multiple sub-ethnic communities. “We are trying our best to contain their differences. We have instructed all the sub tribes sheltering in Zokhawthar to speak Duhlian, a dialect spoken by the predominant Mizo tribe of Mizoram, so that we all can understand each other, and to promote a sense of oneness,” Ngurchhawna said. He feared sub-ethnic tensions in Myanmar may spread to the Indian side.

Residents warned that they may no longer be able to maintain their generosity in the absence of coordinated action and sustainable aid from the government and international humanitarian agencies. “Crisis along Mizoram-Myanmar border is not just a regional or national issue. It is an international concern. The influx of refugees into Mizoram reflects broader geopolitical tensions stemming from Myanmar’s collapse into chaos. The people fleeing across the border are victims of a larger conflict, but the burden of caring for them has been unfairly placed on the shoulders of Mizoram’s villagers,” Ngurchhawna said.

A YMA leader, requesting anonymity, said they were doing their best to help, but their resources are limited. “If proper aid and regulation do not arrive soon, we will be forced to make tough decisions.”