Mizoram Worried as Myanmarese Infiltrators Take Away Jobs From Locals

By Samudra Gupta Kashyap

Aizawl, Mar 17 : Mizoram does not have a major problem of Bangladeshi influx despite sharing over 318 km of international boundary with the neighboring country.

But what is worrying the hill state is the influx of people from Myanmar on its eastern side, especially after these infiltrators have started taking away jobs of the local people.

Myanmarese people sneaking into Mizoram or overstaying after expiry of valid documents are not only getting engaged as domestic helpers and laborers but are also filling up vacancies of skilled weavers in numerous private weaving centres in the state.

"We do not have exact figures about how many Myanmarese nationals are illegally living in Mizoram, but we are facing problems, especially because these people are pushing local poor people out of various kinds of odd jobs," admitted Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

"What is most alarming is that these people from Myanmar are also into various kinds of crimes. Over 75 per cent of crimes recorded in the state are committed by these and other floating population," he added. Several such persons were arrested while running illicit liquor dens outside Aizawl in the recent months, he said.

Interestingly, while a small percentage of the Myanmarese infiltrators belong to different ethnic groups of that country, the majority are Mizos who are domiciled on the other side of the international boundary. These infiltrators belong to different Mizo tribes like Paite, Lai, Poi and Mara.