AIZAWL: The number of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram has decreased from 33,036 on December 10, 2024, to 32,794 as of December 18, 2024, according to state disaster management and rehabilitation officials.
Between December 11 and 18, 143 new refugees arrived in Serchhip district, whereas 380 refugees left Champhai district and five from Kolasib district, resulting in the drop.
Currently, 15,902 refugees reside outside the 127 relief camps spread across seven districts, while 16,892 refugees are housed in the camps. There are currently 12,452 children, 10,340 women, and 10,0002 men living as refugees.
With 13,586 individuals, Champhai district, which borders Myanmar, is still the area with the highest number of refugees. Of these, 6,936 live outside of the relief camps, while 6,650 are housed in 19 of the camps.
Lawngtlai and Siaha districts in southern Mizoram are also home to sizable refugee populations. Siaha is home to 4,976 refugees, whereas Lawngtlai is home to 5,922 refugees, including 2,014 from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Following Myanmar's military coup on February 1, 2021, the refugee crisis in Mizoram started in March 2021. People are still being driven into Mizoram by the ongoing war, even if some refugees have returned to Myanmar.
Since peace is being restored in Myanmar's Chin state, where opposition groups control large regions, many refugees are still optimistic that they will soon be able to return home.
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