Irrawaddy-May 12
Myanmar refugees in India’s border state of Mizoram face a shortage of medicines and access to healthcare, after being evicted from their homes in western Myanmar following brutal reprisals by the country’s military regime. Almost 30,000 refugees are sheltering in Mizoram State, with the maximum numbers in the twin districts of Champhai and Saiha. They are mostly from neighboring Chin State but some hail from Sagaing Region. Refugees started crossing the border to India after last year’s coup and village councils, church and civil society groups in Mizoram such as the Young Mizo Association (YMA) have swung into action to provide them with aid and shelter. Plots have been allocated for building homes and all essential ingredients provided to the refugees to settle down at different locations across the state. The government has also started issuing them with identity cards. Despite the support, the refugees are still faced with the problems that confront displaced people compelled to settle in new locations. Biaktinsanga, a member of the YMA’s executive committee in the Mizoram border township of Zokhawthar, said: “Diseases like malaria, flu and dysentery have been found to be common among the refugees. Medicines are not available in adequate quantity. Schools in this region also do not have the infrastructure to accommodate so many children.” Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-refugees-on-indian-border-threatened-by-disease-and-shortage-of-medicines.html
