Mizoram civil societies to keep vigil in border dist to check illegal activities

AIZAWL: Civil societies in southernmost Mizoram's Siaha district decided to maintain 24-hour vigil at the entry points where people from Myanmar and India used to cross both the sides of the international border due to reported illegal activities in the border areas.
Mara Thyutlia Py (MTP), the largest youth organisation in Siaha district and the Mara Students Organisation (MSO) issued a joint statement saying that the vigil would commence from Sunday (May 1) at the entry points of Siasi, Chapi, Zyhno, Laki and Khaikhym Lobo.
The statement said that thousands of refugees have entered Siaha district from the Chin state in Myanmar following a military coup in that country on February 1, 2021 and subsequent crackdown on the anti-coup Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
"We did our best to welcome and take care of the displaced people, who are our brothers and sisters, without any discrimination," the statement said.
The MTP and MSO said that while all the refugees from Myanmar were being welcomed with open arms by the people of Siaha, there were some people who crossed the border entry points carrying illegal items, including drugs and liquor.
"Reports of illegal items being smuggled through the entry points irritated the general public prompting the civil societies and student bodies to keep a strict vigil in the border areas, especially the entry points," the statement said, adding that weapons were also seized at the entry points.
The statement said that all the commodities entering the district through the five entry points would be thoroughly checked round the clock to ensure that illegal goods are not smuggled into the district by people taking advantage of the hospitality of the local people.
Over 30,000 refugees have arrived in Mizoram since March last year, of which almost 10,000 were hosted by the Siaha district.
The porous 404-km long international boundary between Mizoram and Myanmar had for long been one of the major conduits for trafficking of drugs and narcotics as well as arms. Leaders of the refugee committees in the state, however, said that those who were smuggling illegal goods like drugs were not refugees, but taking advantage of the current situation.