Manipur to set up shelter home for undocumented Myanmar immigrants

The Manipur government is planning to set up a temporary shelter home near the border town of Moreh to accommodate around 5000 undocumented immigrants from Myanmar.

A Cabinet sub-committee of ministers Letpao Haokip, Awangbow Newmai, and Th Basanta Singh under chief minister N Biren Singh’s supervision has been set up for the purpose. The team visited Moreh to inspect the area where the shelter is expected to come up and also interacted with the immigrants.

Manipur shares a 398 km long border with Myanmar, where violence following the 2021 military coup has prompted hundreds of people to seek refuge in India.

Officials said the Manipur government will provide essential commodities and basic amenities at the shelter home. Security personnel will also be deployed there and the shelter home will also have a health centre.

On Saturday, N Biren Singh said the sub-committee has been formed to monitor the immigrants who have taken refuge in Kamjong and Churachandpur districts and to send undocumented immigrants to the temporary shelter home.

He said biometric data of the immigrants at the shelter home will be taken and they will be given proper Identification cards. “When the situation improves [in Myanmar], they will be sent back.”