Fears of fresh Chin refugee wave in Mizoram

Aizawl: The possibility of another large wave of refugees from Myanmar’s Chin state into Mizoram has intensified amid fears that the Junta army could push westward towards the India-Myanmar border after Falam town fell to the junta on April 25.Intelligence reports said there has been no fresh exodus apart from the recent influx of nearly 200 refugees from Khawpuichhip, Satawm and Saek villages in Falam township following a May 1 airstrike on Khawpuichhip that killed seven people, including six children.“We are closely watching the situation in Chin state, especially Falam township, as the area is adjacent to Mizoram and any incident can trigger humanitarian crisis affecting Mizoram,” an intelligent official said.The Hualngoram People’s Organisation (HPO) and its armed wing, Chinland Defence Force - Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram), issued a circular on Saturday appealing to all CDF-Hualngoram cadres on leave to rejoin immediately, citing the possibility of a Myanmar army advance from Falam town toward the west.The HPO, headquartered in Rihkhawdar about 5 km from the Mizoram-Myanmar border river Tiau, also appealed to Hualngoram Reserved Force (HRF) cadres to remain ready. HRF members are village volunteers who have undergone basic guerrilla training and were recruited to support CDF-Hualngoram during conflict.Sources in the HPO told TOI that the Junta administration is seeking to recapture Rihkhawdar and Khawmawi, where border trade operates with the Zokhawthar border trade centre in Mizoram’s Champhai district.