On Tuesday (11th June), the Manipur government deported 38 more illegal immigrants belonging to Myanmar through the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Moreh. The information was shared by Manipur CM N Biren Singh adding that the state government was making all efforts to identify illegal immigrants from Myanmar and send them back to their localities.
“In continuation of the deportation process of immigrants, the Government of Manipur has deported 38 (thirty-eight) Myanmar Nationals to their home country Myanmar through the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Moreh, today. They have been handed over safely to Myanmar authorities by the Immigration Officers of the Government of India posted at ICP, Moreh,” he posted.
“The State Government is continuing the identification of illegal immigrants and remains steadfast in its resolve to deport them. Let’s keep our borders and country secure,” he added.
In continuation of the deportation process of immigrants, the Government of Manipur has deported 38 (thirty-eight) Myanmar Nationals to their home country Myanmar through the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Moreh, today. They have been handed over safely to Myanmar authorities by… pic.twitter.com/NHEJB9c8UA
— N.Biren Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@NBirenSingh) June 11, 2024
Earlier on May 2nd, the state had conducted one of the initial phases of deportation in which around 38 illegal immigrants from Myanmar were sent back to their nation. CM N Biren Singh then said that an Indian national was also brought back from Myanmar during the handover ceremony.
“Without any discrimination, we have completed the first phase of deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar with 38 more immigrants leaving Manipur, India today through Moreh. A total of 77 illegal immigrants have been deported in the first phase. One Indian national was also brought back from Myanmar during the handover ceremony,” he was quoted as saying on X.
𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐋 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐌𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐌𝐀𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘
— N.Biren Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@NBirenSingh) May 2, 2024
Without any discrimination, we have completed the first phase of deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar with 38 more… pic.twitter.com/KSXZtZeGVV
On 8th May, Singh stated that the government had identified 5457 illegal immigrants in the Kamjong district, Manipur. “Out of the total, the biometric data of 5173 such illegal immigrants have been collected so far. The deportation process is underway,” the CM said.
CM Singh further stated that the government is providing humanitarian aid to the illegal immigrants adding that despite the alarming situation, the government is handling the matter with sensitivity.
38 illegal immigrants were deported to Myanmar from Manipur on June 11th, bringing the total number of illegal Myanmarese migrants deported to 115 since March 8th. Singh in May had assured the Meities that all the illegal immigrants from Myanmar would be sent back to their localities in pursuance of the law.
He stated that illegal immigration had caused an alarming impact on the state’s demography and that some districts witnessed unnatural growth of population over the years due to influx from Myanmar.
Singh’s views are consistent with the demands of influential organizations representing the Meitei people for a “crackdown” on the Kuki militants. Organizations such as the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (CPCOMI) have often stated that the illegal migration of Chin-Kukis from Myanmar threatens the identity, culture, and land rights of the state’s indigenous people.
They also claimed that illegal migrants were involved in the ongoing crisis, which began in May last year and has killed over 200 people and displaced over 60,000 others.