Latest news with #ForeignerIdentificationPortal
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Biometric enrolment for Myanmarese, Bangladeshi refugees underway in Mizoram
Aizawl, The biometric enrolment of over 34,000 people from Myanmar and Bangladesh, who took refuge in Mizoram, is underway, officials said on Thursday. Biometric enrolment for Myanmarese, Bangladeshi refugees underway in Mizoram The Serchhip and Lunglei administrations began the enrolment drive in their respective districts on Wednesday, while east Mizoram's Champhai district authorities started the collection of biometric and demographic details of Myanmar refugees on Thursday, they said. Serchhip district's Nodal Officer for Foreigners Identification Portal and Biometric Enrolment, Vanthangpuia told PTI that biometric enrolment was conducted for Myanmar refugees who took shelter in Chanmari locality in Serchhip town. Sixteen people were enrolled in the Foreigner Identification Portal during the exercise held at Chanmari village council house on Wednesday, he said. The enrolment drive will resume on August 4 and is scheduled to be completed by September 22 within the Serchhip district, the official said. The exercise will be carried out twice a week, and those who are out of station due to important work or students who studied in other places will be enrolled in separate phases, he said. The refugees need not panic as the enrolment is meant solely for identification and not for the purpose of deportation, the official said. According to Vanthangpuia, Serchhip currently hosts 647 Myanmarese nationals, including 299 children, across 30 villages and localities. Besides, 266 Bangladeshis, including 47 children, also took shelter in Thenzawl town in Serchhip district, he said. Most refugees stay in rented houses, he said. Lunglei District Additional Deputy Commissioner Zoramdini said that the local administration also began the collection of biometric and demographic details of 1,991 Myanmarese and 73 Bangladeshi refugees taking shelter in the southern district of Mizoram. The drive was carried out at a relief camp on Wednesday during which 10 refugees were enrolled, she said, adding that the exercise could not be conducted smoothly due to poor connectivity, she said. Another official also said that Champhai district, which hosts the maximum number of refugees, has begun the enrolment drive on Thursday. According to the state home department, more than 32,000 Myanmar refugees are currently taking shelter across all 11 districts of Mizoram, with Champhai hosting the highest at 13,586. The number, however, keeps changing almost on a daily basis as some of them have a habit of going to their country and coming back to Mizoram, the officials said. The home department also said that over 2,000 Bangladeshi nationals from the Chittagong Hill Tracts are staying in the state. These Myanmar nationals, mostly from the Chin state of the neighbouring country, came to Mizoram, following a military coup there in February 2021, while many people from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts came to the state after a military offensive against an ethnic insurgent group in 2022. The Chins in Myanmar and the Bawm tribe of Bangladesh share close ethnic ties with the Mizos of Mizoram. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
a day ago
- General
- News18
Biometric enrolment for Myanmarese, Bangladeshi refugees underway in Mizoram
Aizawl, Jul 31 (PTI) The biometric enrolment of over 34,000 people from Myanmar and Bangladesh, who took refuge in Mizoram, is underway, officials said on Thursday. The Serchhip and Lunglei administrations began the enrolment drive in their respective districts on Wednesday, while east Mizoram's Champhai district authorities started the collection of biometric and demographic details of Myanmar refugees on Thursday, they said. Serchhip district's Nodal Officer for Foreigners Identification Portal and Biometric Enrolment, Vanthangpuia told PTI that biometric enrolment was conducted for Myanmar refugees who took shelter in Chanmari locality in Serchhip town. Sixteen people were enrolled in the Foreigner Identification Portal during the exercise held at Chanmari village council house on Wednesday, he said. The enrolment drive will resume on August 4 and is scheduled to be completed by September 22 within the Serchhip district, the official said. The exercise will be carried out twice a week, and those who are out of station due to important work or students who studied in other places will be enrolled in separate phases, he said. The refugees need not panic as the enrolment is meant solely for identification and not for the purpose of deportation, the official said. Besides, 266 Bangladeshis, including 47 children, also took shelter in Thenzawl town in Serchhip district, he said. Most refugees stay in rented houses, he said. Lunglei District Additional Deputy Commissioner Zoramdini said that the local administration also began the collection of biometric and demographic details of 1,991 Myanmarese and 73 Bangladeshi refugees taking shelter in the southern district of Mizoram. The drive was carried out at a relief camp on Wednesday during which 10 refugees were enrolled, she said, adding that the exercise could not be conducted smoothly due to poor connectivity, she said. Another official also said that Champhai district, which hosts the maximum number of refugees, has begun the enrolment drive on Thursday. According to the state home department, more than 32,000 Myanmar refugees are currently taking shelter across all 11 districts of Mizoram, with Champhai hosting the highest at 13,586. The number, however, keeps changing almost on a daily basis as some of them have a habit of going to their country and coming back to Mizoram, the officials said. The home department also said that over 2,000 Bangladeshi nationals from the Chittagong Hill Tracts are staying in the state. These Myanmar nationals, mostly from the Chin state of the neighbouring country, came to Mizoram, following a military coup there in February 2021, while many people from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts came to the state after a military offensive against an ethnic insurgent group in 2022. The Chins in Myanmar and the Bawm tribe of Bangladesh share close ethnic ties with the Mizos of Mizoram. PTI CORR BDC view comments First Published: July 31, 2025, 18:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mizoram decides to collect biometrics, biographic data of Myanmar refugees
Guwahati: The Mizoram government has decided to collect biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar refugees taking shelter in the northeastern state after a military coup in the neighboring country in February 2021. Earlier, Manipur had carried out this exercise. A Mizoram Home Department official, who did not want to be named, told ET, 'Towards the end of July, the work of collecting biometric and demographic data of around 35,000 Myanmar refugees would start. The biometric exercise would be conducted using the Foreigner Identification Portal and would be carried out in all 11 districts of the state." He added, 'Around Rs 38 lakh was earmarked for the exercise, and the expenditure would be borne by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Training of the government staff to conduct the exercise has almost been completed in all the districts." The MHA had earlier asked both the Manipur and Mizoram governments to capture biographic and biometric details of "illegal migrants" in the two states and complete the process at the earliest. Both northeastern states had earlier agreed to undertake the collection of biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar nationals. The former Mizo National Front government in Mizoram was reluctant to collect the biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar refugees. The incumbent Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, had earlier agreed to conduct the exercise. After a military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, refugees, including women and children from the neighboring country, started coming to Mizoram and Manipur seeking shelter in the two Indian states, and now their numbers in Mizoram have increased to around 35,000. According to Home Department officials, the maximum number of Myanmar refugees are currently taking shelter in Champhai district. Myanmar's Chin state shares mountainous borders with six Mizoram districts—Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Recently, a fresh batch of refugees has started coming since July 2. Gun battles have erupted between the Chin National Defence Force and the Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram over control of Chin state in Myanmar. A senior official, who does not want to be named, said that around 3,000 to 4,000 refugees had come since the fighting started on July 2. 'They are being provided with food, water, and shelter.' Refugees are coming to Zokhawthar and Saikhumphai Village, bordering Myanmar in Champhai district.
Economic Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Mizoram decides to collect biometrics, biographic data of Myanmar refugees
Synopsis Following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the Mizoram government will begin collecting biometric and biographic data of approximately 35,000 Myanmar refugees in all 11 districts, mirroring a similar exercise in Manipur. The initiative, funded by the Ministry of Home Affairs, aims to identify and document these "illegal migrants. AP The former Mizo National Front government in Mizoram was reluctant to collect the biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar refugees. Guwahati: The Mizoram government has decided to collect biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar refugees taking shelter in the northeastern state after a military coup in the neighboring country in February 2021. Earlier, Manipur had carried out this exercise. A Mizoram Home Department official, who did not want to be named, told ET, 'Towards the end of July, the work of collecting biometric and demographic data of around 35,000 Myanmar refugees would start. The biometric exercise would be conducted using the Foreigner Identification Portal and would be carried out in all 11 districts of the state." He added, 'Around Rs 38 lakh was earmarked for the exercise, and the expenditure would be borne by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Training of the government staff to conduct the exercise has almost been completed in all the districts." The MHA had earlier asked both the Manipur and Mizoram governments to capture biographic and biometric details of "illegal migrants" in the two states and complete the process at the earliest. Both northeastern states had earlier agreed to undertake the collection of biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar nationals. The former Mizo National Front government in Mizoram was reluctant to collect the biometrics and biographic data of Myanmar refugees. The incumbent Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, had earlier agreed to conduct the exercise. After a military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, refugees, including women and children from the neighboring country, started coming to Mizoram and Manipur seeking shelter in the two Indian states, and now their numbers in Mizoram have increased to around 35,000. According to Home Department officials, the maximum number of Myanmar refugees are currently taking shelter in Champhai district. Myanmar's Chin state shares mountainous borders with six Mizoram districts—Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Recently, a fresh batch of refugees has started coming since July battles have erupted between the Chin National Defence Force and the Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram over control of Chin state in Myanmar. A senior official, who does not want to be named, said that around 3,000 to 4,000 refugees had come since the fighting started on July 2.'They are being provided with food, water, and shelter.' Refugees are coming to Zokhawthar and Saikhumphai Village, bordering Myanmar in Champhai district.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mizoram gears up for biometric enrollment of Myanmar refugees
Aizawl, Preparations are underway for the biometric enrollment of over 32,000 Myanmar refugees currently sheltered in Mizoram, a senior official said on Wednesday. Mizoram gears up for biometric enrollment of Myanmar refugees State Additional Home Secretary Andrew H. Vanlaldika said the collection of biometric and demographic data of the refugees will be carried out across all eleven districts of the state within this month. He said training of officials had been held by district administrations recently, and they would be provided with equipment such as computers, webcams and other materials required for enrollment. "The biometric enrollment of the Myanmar refugees will begin this month, depending on the convenience of district administrations," Vanlaldika told PTI. "We have held training for officials for this purpose. The enrollment will be done online," he added. Vanlaldika clarified that the enrollment is strictly for identification purposes and should not be seen as a step toward deportation. "The biometric enrollment is specifically meant for the identification of Myanmar refugees and does not connote deportation to their country," he stressed. The enrollment will be carried out using the Foreigner Identification Portal, developed by the National Informatics Centre , he said. Vanlaldika also mentioned that a similar exercise may be undertaken later for Bangladeshi nationals staying in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, subject to instructions from the Centre. Aizawl deputy commissioner Lalhriatpuia said the enrollment exercise will begin in the district soon. He said the district administration may face challenges as the number of Myanmar refugees is not static due to their frequent movement to and from the neighbouring country. There are about 3,000 Myanmar refugees in Aizawl district, he added. According to data from the state home department, a total of 32,419 Myanmar nationals are presently sheltered in Mizoram's eleven districts. However, the numbers fluctuate almost daily, as many refugees return to their villages in Myanmar and later come back to Mizoram, another home department official said. The department also said 2,371 Bangladeshi nationals from the Chittagong Hill Tracts are currently staying in the state. In addition, 7,354 Zo ethnic people from Manipur — displaced by ethnic violence since May 2023 — have taken shelter in the state. The Myanmar nationals, mostly from Chin state, fled to Mizoram following a military coup in the neighbouring country in February 2021, while the asylum seekers from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts came to the state after a military offensive against an ethnic insurgent group in 2022. The Chins in Myanmar, Bawm tribe from Bangladesh and Kuki-zo people from Manipur share close ethnic ties with the Mizos. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
