The Military Council does not accept Myanmar citizens who will be sent back by the Manipur authorities

Family members of those to be returned said that the government of Manipur state planned to repatriate 77 Myanmar nationals who were arrested for illegal entry into the Indian state of Manipur, but the military council did not accept it.

Indian-based news reports that the Manipur authorities are planning to send 77 Burmese women who have already served sentences under the immigration law in Impha prison in Manipur state from March 8 from More, India to Tamu, Myanmar.

A family member, who did not want to be named, told RFA that the first group, 38, were taken by helicopter from Imphar prison to an Indian military camp in More on March 8, but were not welcomed by the military council.

"Initially, since March 8, they have been sent to More City from Impha Prison by helicopter. On the next consecutive day, twenty more (Myanmar) women arrived. I was on the phone with my brother's wife. They said there were 38 people in total in More. It is in the Indian army in the city of More. Prison staff said. They said that those who came to Moray City because you are not accepted by Myanmar will be sent back to the main prison. I called today from Imphar prison."

In order to find out exactly why the Myanmar side did not accept it, RFA reached out to Sagaing Regional Spokesperson of the Military Council, Minister of Social Affairs U Nyunt Win Aung, and General Zaw Min Tun, Spokesperson of the Military Council, but they did not pick up the phone.

"I want them to be allowed to live in the Manipur state of India under humanitarian conditions rather than being sent back to Myanmar."

The Burmese women who will now be sent back to Magway, Sagaing and Chin State. Some of them have been in Manipur since before the military coup in 2021, while others fled to Manipur after the coup. For all of them to live, the city of Manipur state. Family members said that he was arrested while doing weaving work in the villages.

A family member from Monywa, who did not want to be named for security reasons, told RFA that three of them had already served their sentences in Imphar prison, but had been incarcerated for more than two years, so they wanted to be released this time.

"In the beginning, some of our weavers were arrested as refugees and sent to prison. Some are caught under immigration laws. I have also been sentenced to five months in jail and a fine (of Rs. 1,000). They have been in prison for two and a half years and have not been released yet. They went before it became political.”

I want them to be allowed to live in the Indian state of Manipur without sending them back to Myanmar. Or family members said they want to be recognized as refugees by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

If the Manipur authorities only return them to Myanmar, there will be no security for all of them, said a person helping Myanmar refugees in Manipur.

"It may not be a big problem for the weaving workers, but those who went after the coup, we will arrest them if we file a case against them and arrest them again." This cannot be said. But I think it's definitely not safe."

Civil organizations including India For Myanmar have asked the Manipur authorities that even if Myanmar refugees are forced to return, there will be security only if there is an orderly arrangement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Regarding this issue, RFA emailed the Myanmar Embassy in New Delhi and the Indian Embassy in Yangon. Asked but no reply. I also emailed UNHCR, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in New Delhi. I have asked but have not received a response.

According to India for Myanmar and civil society organizations, there are more than 150 Myanmar nationals detained under immigration laws in prisons and detention centers in Manipur state, and more than 80 of them have already served their sentences.