Manipur government to set up shelter home at Moreh for Myanmar refugees

To accommodate those who fled strife-torn Myanmar, the Manipur government is considering setting up a temporary shelter home in the border town of Moreh. 

The shelter home will accommodate 5,000 immigrants. 

A ministerial team comprising three state ministers -- Letpao Haokip, Awangbow Newmai and Th Basanta Singh visited Moreh along the Myanmar border to study the area where the shelter home is expected to be set up.

According to an official, the Myanmar nationals will be granted temporary shelter in the shelter house before being deported to their home country as soon as the situation in Myanmar improves.

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Moreh is 110 kilometres from Imphal, the state capital.

Myanmar MP Thangsel Haokip, who is also taking refuge in Manipur, reportedly informed the ministerial team that they would like to take refuge in Indian territory as violent clashes between the Myanmar military and the People's Defence Force (PDF) rebels continue in the Saingang region of Myanmar, which borders the Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram.

The Manipur government has deployed more security troops and urged the Assam Rifles to keep close watch along the international border amid fighting between the Burmese army and the rebel organisation PDF.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had stated that security along the India-Myanmar border with Manipur has been beefed up to prevent untoward situations.