The number of Kuki-Chin tribal refugees coming to Mizoram to escape violence in the ‘Chittagong Hill Tract’ of neighboring Bangladesh has increased to close to 300. Gospel Hamangaihjuala, president of the Local Refugee Organizing Committee, a local leader who is aware of this whole matter, has given this information.
Gospel Hamangaihjuala reported that 21 Kuki-Chin refugees crossed the border from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) late on Friday night. The organizing committee was recently formed by the village authorities and non-governmental organizations of Parva village in Lawangtlai district in view of the Kuki-Chin refugees who came to Mizoram due to the alleged violence in the CHT.
Gospel said that soon after the 21 refugees crossed the border, the Border Security Force (BSF) brought them to Parwa village, about 21 km from the border village. A total of 294 people from Bangladesh have taken shelter in a school, a community hall, an anganwadi center and a sub-centre in Parwa.
Parwa Village Council President Gospel told that the Kuki-Chin refugees are being provided food, clothes and other relief materials by the NGO.
The Kuki-Chin tribe is spread in the mountainous areas of Bangladesh, Mizoram and Myanmar. People of the Kuki-Chin community left their homes after the armed conflict between the Bangladeshi army and the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), an ethnic insurgent group. Mizoram is coming. The first batch of refugees entered Lavangtalai district on 20 November.
