Incidents of influx of Myanmarese into Manipur not reported so far, says CM Biren Singh

Amid ongoing violence in Myanmar after the military coup last month, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said that incidents of the influx of people from Myanmar into Manipur has not been reported so far.

He further said that security forces are put on alert at the borders.

"Till now, there is no information about the influx (of Myanmarese) into the state. We have deployed and alerted the security at the border. The matter is a bilateral issue between India and Myanmar. The state cannot take any action on this issue," said Singh.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday asked four northeastern states- Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh- to take appropriate action as per law to prevent a possible influx of people from Myanmar into India.

The MHA also said that it has been reported that illegal influx from Myanmar has started and agencies have been asked to identify migrants and initiate the deportation processes without delay.

The Home Ministry reiterated that state governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations have no power to grant "refugee" status to any foreigner as India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol.

The military toppled Myanmar's elected government on February 1 and launched a massive crackdown on anti-coup protesters, shutting down the internet and arresting hundreds of people, including the state counsellor, de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and the figurehead president.

Violence against protesters has so far left over 60 people dead and more than 1,800 people arrested.

(ANI)