IMPHAL :  Union home minister Amit Shah has been called upon to facilitate the repatriation of approximately 5500 illegal immigrants from Myanmar currently residing in Kamjong district of Manipur. The request was made through a memorandum submitted by several Naga civil society organisations.

The memorandum highlights that around 5457 illegal immigrants from Myanmar have taken refuge in eight Tangkhul Naga villages in Kamjong district of Manipur, which shares border with Myanmar to the east.These foreign nationals began entering Kamjong in Manipur since November 2023, fleeing internal conflicts in Myanmar.

However, the violent confrontations in their homeland have since subsided. The memorandum was submitted by prominent Naga organizations, including the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women’s Union (NWU), All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM), and Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPM-HR).

According to the memorandum, the refugees are taking shelter in villages under Kasom and Kamjong blocks, namely Namlee, Wanglee, Kaka, Zingshophai Choro, Aloyo, Skipee, Pilong, Sangalok, and Phaikoh. They have occupied schools and village community halls, impacting the privacy and daily lives of the indigenous people.

The memorandum states that the illegal immigrants are straining the limited resources of the villages, such as water and natural resources, depriving the local residents of their basic necessities.The Naga civil society groups urged the union home minister to explore safe and effective methods to repatriate the illegal immigrants to Myanmar now that the situation there has stabilized.