New Delhi: Mizoram government is watching It is learned that to support the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of violence-hit Manipur, who have sought asylum in the state, it has decided to raise funds from legislators, local administration staff and the public. Speed, A top Mizoram government official said the state’s repeated requests to the central government for financial assistance of Rs 10 crore to help the displaced people have gone unheeded.
On Tuesday, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga made public his displeasure with the central government. twitter post Made at 3.35 am. “Development with human touch and Everybody’s company will help in everybody’s growth This also applies to the Meri Zo ethnic tribes in Manipur”, in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of inclusive governance. He said the situation in Manipur has turned “worse”.
“12,000 people have been internally displaced in Mizoram as a result of the brutal violence in Manipur. The number of refugees and/or IDPs from Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh has exceeded 50,000. I wish and pray that the Central Government extends an immediate helping hand to us on humanitarian grounds,” the CM tweeted.
Zoramthanga heads the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) which is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki has claimed more than 150 lives and displaced more than 50,000 people in the past two months, according to the UN. manipur police data, Thousands have been forced to take shelter in relief camps set up across the state, with many fleeing to neighboring Mizoram.
According to Mizoram government records, of the 12,301 displaced people from Manipur, 2,920 are in 35 relief camps set up in Aizawl, Kolasib and Saitual districts, while the rest have taken shelter with relatives and friends in the state.
The Mizo people share deep ethnic ties with the Kukis.
The violence in Manipur began after an order by the Manipur High Court suggested that the state grant Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei people. Soon after violence broke out in early May, the Mizoram Home Department issued a statement expressing solidarity with the “Zohnthalak community”, or Kuki-Chin-Mizo ethnic group.
The official cited above said that, so far, Zoramthanga has written two letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking Rs 10 crore each to support the displaced persons.
“The CM wrote one letter on May 16 and another on May 23, seeking immediate assistance of Rs 10 crore. State Sports Minister Robert Romawia Royte along with Home Commissioner Pu H. Lalengmawia also met Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in this regard but not a single penny was released. All our appeals were ignored. It is our collective responsibility to show that we care about these people,” the official said.
Lalengmawia confirmed that the state has not received any funds from the central government so far, but declined to comment further.
Emails and calls sent by ThePrint to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) did not elicit any response.
Read also: ‘Caste violence took place’ – Shah says Manipur HC order on ST status for Meiteis ‘given in haste’
Voluntary Donation Request
The Mizoram government official cited above told ThePrint that the state home department has already written to Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Selo, requesting legislators to seek voluntary donations.
An appeal has also been made to all heads of departments to urge all government employees to donate money to support the relief efforts of the state government, the official said.
Sources in the Mizoram government said that, on Monday evening, the state finance department agreed to release Rs 5 crore to aid relief efforts. Members of Parliament and Central Government employees posted in Mizoram are also being requested to make voluntary donations.
“But this will not be enough, because apart from IDPs from Manipur, we are also providing shelter to around 30,000 refugees from Myanmar and around 1,000 refugees from Bangladesh. It will be difficult for us to bear the additional burden,” a source in the Mizoram home department told ThePrint.
“And most importantly, it is not just our responsibility to take care of these people. Those who have come from Manipur are Indian citizens and internally displaced persons. It is the responsibility of the Home Ministry to take care of them.”
Sources in the Mizoram government said that the arrival of IDPs is still on.
Meanwhile, in his Twitter post, Zoramthanga said as the violence in Manipur entered its 62nd day, “it seems nothing has changed” and “the situation has worsened.”
(Editing by Anumeha Saxena)