[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

NEWS -"We Don't Deport Burmese Demo



Subject: NEWS -"We Don't Deport Burmese Democracy Activists," said Mizoram

Chief Minister
To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.2 (32)
X-Sender: strider@xxxxxxxxxxxx

MIZZIMA NEWS - July 24, 1999

INDIA/MIZORAM

"We Don't Deport Burmese Democracy Activists," said Mizoram Chief
Minister

By Staff Reporter (Aizawl, Mizoram State)

In an interview with MIZZIMA, Mr. Zoramthanga, Chief Minister of Mizoram
said yesterday that Mizoram Government is not pushing back any Burmese
pro-democracy activist to Burma. "We welcome them...We are not pushing
those
Burmese democracy activists at all. The people we pushed (back) are
smugglers", responded Mr. Zoramthanga when asked on a reported statement
of
Mizoram Home Minster on the deportation of Burmese from Mizoram.
According
to a PTI report, Mr. Tawnluia, Home Minister of Mizoram had told the
State
Assembly on July 20 that Mizoram government deported 448 Burmese
nationals
between December 1998 and June 1999.

About a hundred of Burmese pro-democracy activists have been taking
shelter
in Mizoram State of India since 1988 military coup in Burma. Moreover,
there
are estimated 5,000 Burmese immigrants working as handloom waivers, taxi
drivers and maids in Aizawl, capital of Mizoram. "When the police saw
them
(Burmese), they took them to Champhai border and left them at the border
river bank. But the Burmese came back (to Aizawl) the next day", said
Mr.
Zoramthanga as it is a usual work of the Mizoram police.

Expressing the worry of the State Government on the situation of
infiltrators from Bangladesh, the Chief minister, however said, "We are
really worried about (the people from) Bangladesh. We don't care much
about
the Burma side because they are our blood brothers and sisters. But we
don't
welcome Chakmas from Bangladesh".

Seventy five percent of Mizoram is international border with Burma and
Bangladesh. Mizoram government has recently started identifying foreign
settlers in the state. It has also approached the Indian central
government
to provide one battalion of Prevention of Infiltration Force (IPF) to
counter the "infiltrators". The central government has provided only one
battalion of Indian Reserve Police for the Mizoram State.

The Chief Minister, moreover, urged the Chin National Front (CNF) to
leave
arms and live like other civilians in the cities. "I told them that you
can
live without your arms. You will be tolerated. But when you wear
uniforms
and hold arms, that is illegal. This cannot be tolerated from law and
order
point of view", said the Chief Minister. Recently, the (Indian) Assam
Rifles
had attacked CNF mobile camps situated inside Mizoram State. Chin
National
Front (CNF) is one of the armed groups, which is still fighting against
the
military regime in Burma. Regarding the opening of border trade between
Mizoram State and Burma, the Chief Minister said that there is no new
development though the trade has been more or less going on in a
smuggling
form.

The Government of India is currently building infrastructure in the
Mizoram
border for opening the trade between Champhai of Mizoram State and
Burma. "I
think it (trade) will start after one year", said Mr. Zoramthanga

By MIZZIMA News Group