Torching of Myanmar village, sibling deaths lead to fresh influx in Mizoram

Myanmar army torched Haimual village in Myanmar’s Chin state and abducted five people, including two children of a leader of a civil defence force from the village on Sunday

The torching of a Myanmar village near India’s border and the alleged killing of two abducted siblings from a village by the Myanmar army recently triggered fresh influx from the neighbouring country, a local leader of the Mizoram-Myanmar border village said on Friday.

The two teenagers were children of Lalzidinga, a commander of local People’s Defence Force (PDF). (File image)

Zokhawthar village council president Lalmuanpuia said hundreds of people from Myanmar entered Mizoram in the past few days when the former’s army torched Haimual village in Myanmar’s Chin state and abducted five people, including two children of a leader of a civil defence force from the village on Sunday.

Haimual village is located about 7km from Zokhawthar, the first border village in Mizoram’s Champhai district.

Quoting sources from Haimual, Lalmuanpuia said the Myanmar army raided the village on Sunday and torched at least 15 houses.

They also abducted five persons, including Lanunpuii (17), and her brother Lalruatmawia (16), he said.

The two teenagers were children of Lalzidinga, a commander of local People’s Defence Force (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government of Myanmar, comprising youth and pro-democracy activists, he said.

Lalzidinga managed to escape while his house was raided, he added.

Lalmuanpuia said the bodies of Lalnunpuii, who was a member of PDF, and her brother were recovered from a jungle on Tuesday, while three other abductees were released by the Myanmar army.

Officials of the state home department could not be contacted to confirm the number of new entrants.

Thousands of people from Myanmar have fled to Mizoram since February last year, when the Myanmar army took power through a coup.

The Myanmar nationals are taking shelter in different parts of Mizoram and they are provided with food and other relief materials by the state government, NGOs, student bodies, churches and village authorities.

Official sources said around 156 makeshift relief camps have been set up across the state.

Most of the Myanmar nationals are from Chin state and share ethnicity with the Mizos.

The majority of them live in relief camps, while others are accommodated by their local relatives and some others live in rented houses.

Six Mizoram districts - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual- share a 510km long international border with Myanmar’s Chin state.