Completion of Biometric Enrollment for Myanmar Refugees in Mizoram

Biometric Enrollment Progress in Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 10: The biometric enrollment process for Myanmar refugees residing in Mizoram is approaching its conclusion, with officials from the State Home department reporting that 98.9% of the targeted individuals have been registered as of Sunday.

Out of the 29,575 Myanmar refugees earmarked for this initiative, biometric data for 29,251 individuals has been successfully collected. The enrollment has been completed in eight of the eleven districts, a process that commenced in late July of the previous year.

However, the enrollment remains unfinished in the districts of Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, and Serchhip.

In Lawngtlai, which has the second-largest refugee population in the state, 6,054 out of 6,328 Myanmar refugees have been enrolled, achieving a coverage rate of 95.83%. Officials noted that the district's challenging terrain and the remote locations of many settlements along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh have complicated the enrollment efforts.

Despite these challenges, Lawngtlai has successfully completed the biometric registration of 1,679 refugees from Bangladesh who have sought refuge in the area.

In Serchhip and Hnahthial, the remaining enrollment backlog is relatively minor, as these districts host a smaller number of Myanmar refugees. Both districts are still in the process of completing their enrollment.

Officials indicated that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has also slowed down the biometric enrollment process. With administrative resources focused on this revision, the pace of refugee enrollment has been affected in certain districts.

This biometric initiative was launched to establish a verified database of Myanmar refugees residing in Mizoram, amidst the ongoing political turmoil and security issues in Myanmar. Mizoram has welcomed tens of thousands of individuals fleeing the military coup and subsequent conflicts in their home country.