Local authorities in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram State, India, have imposed seven restrictions on the movement and residence of refugees and foreigners, including traders from Arakan, within the district.
The restrictions were issued on September 7 and signed by the Lawngtlai District Commissioner.
The seven restrictions include a ban, effective from September, on refugees and foreigners renting and residing in houses in Lawngtlai town; a complete prohibition on going outside after 8 p.m., except in emergencies; a requirement for people moving into wards or villages to present a relocation permit issued by the local council of their previous place of residence; and a requirement for refugees who are working to obtain work permits from the relevant local council and the Lai Youth Association and undergo inspections by the authorities.
The restrictions also require landlords hosting non-local residents to maintain registration records with ward and village councils. Every household must report to ward authorities any guests staying at their homes who do not possess proof of Indian citizenship. Hotels and homestay businesses are prohibited from accommodating guests whose identities cannot be properly verified. They must collect copies of valid identification documents from guests, including voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, which contain personal and biometric information, and driving licences. In addition, hotels and homestays are required to systematically submit guest entry and departure records, as well as weekly reports, to the Lawngtlai District Police Chief.
A trader from Arakan currently staying in Lawngtlai said that inspections of refugees and foreigners in the district have been tightened, although no enforcement action has yet been taken, and that they are now living and travelling with greater caution.
The restrictions were reportedly issued based on decisions made at a law-enforcement meeting held on August 31. The meeting was attended by district-level government officials led by Lawngtlai District Commissioner Donnie Lalruatsanga, representatives of the Assam Rifles, and representatives of the Central Young Lai Association (CYLA).
Around 30,000 Myanmar refugees are currently sheltering across the 11 districts of Mizoram State, with 6,328 of them residing in Lawngtlai district, according to available information.
The refugees are staying in displacement camps in villages as well as renting houses in urban areas.
Lawngtlai district in Mizoram is a major transit and trading area for the flow of goods to Arakan and is also home to a large number of displaced people from Arakan and other parts of Myanmar.
At present, as the Myanmar military government has cut off communications between Arakan and mainland Myanmar, Lawngtlai district has become a key source for essential goods needed in Arakan.
