Christian migrations from Myanmar's Chin province into Mizoram! Is there a hidden facet to the story?
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Aizawl, May 28: The International Christian Concern (ICC), that works against the global persecution of Christians, has recently reported that thousands of people, mostly Christians, are fleeing from Myanmar, to the bordering Mizoram state in India since the Burmese Army (Tatmadaw) continues cracking down on pro-democracy demonstrations.
According to ICC, the mass exodus began when the Tatmadaw deposed of the elected govt in a coup on Feb 1. The Tatmadaw has continued its armed action to crush a civil disobedience movement, in absolute disregard of people's ethnic or religious backgrounds. The Mizoram state shares a border with Chin state of Myanmar, which is predominately a Christian state. The ICC reports Mizoram as a Christian majority state, with Christians making up about 87% of Mizoram’s 1.15 million population.
According to the latest data provided from Mizoram state, around 16,000 Myanmar refugees are now residing in Mizoram. The ICC, in it's report also attempts to establish ethnic affiliations between the people of Mizoram and the Christians fleeing from China state of Myanamar. ICC thus states that most of those who fled to India share an ethnic affinity and even family relations with Mizo people in Mizoram.
According to UCA News, which is an independent Catholic news source from Asia, senior Mizoram govt official H. Rammawi stated that 15,438 people from Myanmar are sheltering in Mizoram and that “the number of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram is increasing day by day.” These estimates might be low, however, the ICC claims that since many Myanmar refugees are staying with family members in Mizoram and have chosen to not disclose their Myanmar background. According to ICC, those who fled Myanmar include govt employees, policemen, and fire service personnel who were ordered to take action against anti-coup protestors but refused. Additionally, at least 20 lawmakers who were elected in Myanmar’s Nov 2020 general election have fled to India.
Another perception of the story also narrates that not christians but the church supports separatist movments in demand of ZO Asia (Greater Mizoram of Christiann ethnicity) from Myanmar. The ultimate design of this demand remains to be of 'Greater Mizoram', an independent nation, whereby, the notion of persecution of christian functions as an agenda in support of the idea, initiated by the Right wing bodies in the region. In such circumstances, the ground relaity of the call for persecution of christians in Myanmar leading to their mass migration into North Eastern state of Mizoram remains twisted. The claim of ICC about the persecution of christians from Myanmar and finding a safe shelter in Mizoram with a backing of afficilated ethnicity, also indicates an attempt to attack the demographic composition of the region. These migrations, thus, demand a thorough investigation.