It was at the end of April that ethnic clashes began in Manipur. By now, more than 50,000 people have been displaced and have found shelter in 349 relief camps without basic amenities. In the language of the United Nations, they are “internally displaced persons”.
What is happening in Manipur is a civil war and it will not end anytime soon.
There are many causes for the violence, but one of the major ones is the refugee crisis with thousands of Myanmar citizens fleeing the brutal military regime and taking shelter in the North East, mainly in Manipur and Mizoram that have shared borders.
The events unfolding in Manipur are not very different from the events that have led to people fleeing their villages and ultimately their country. The latest data on Forced Displacement by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees states that the number of people displaced around the world is at a record 108 million.
This figure includes people seeking safety within their own countries as well as those who have crossed borders. Refugees and asylum seekers make up about 37.5% of the total, according to the report.
Manipur shares a 398-km-long border with Myanmar to its south and east. The Chin state, one of the most affected…
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