Authorities in India’s Manipur state have informed approximately 5,000 Myanmar nationals who fled escalating violence in the Sagaing region that they must return within a month, despite ongoing risks from military airstrikes in their homeland.

The unrooted individuals, many of whom lost their homes in attacks, are now preparing to go back to Sagaing, where rebuilding efforts are anticipated to be challenging due to destroyed infrastructure.

Around 3,000 of the refugees are located in Kamjong and Ukhrul districts, directly across the border from Sagaing’s Tedim township. While families with school-age children may remain in India until March 2025, other refugees are being urged to return by December. The writ comes amid concerns over border security and attempts to ease strains related to the presence of ethnic Naga rebels active in the region.
The ongoing military crackdown in Sagaing, following Myanmar’s 2021 coup, has already unrooted hundreds of thousands, leading to a crisis that continues to strain the India-Myanmar border.

BOB Post