In response to the ongoing unrest situation in Manipur, India has taken a significant step to address the issue of illegal immigration from Myanmar by commencing the collection of biometrics of the illegal migrants on Saturday.
This move aims to identify potential immigrants who will be placed on a ‘negative biometric list’, preventing them from acquiring Indian citizenship in the future.
Manipur Home Department has written to the Superintendents of Police of all districts in the state ahead to biometric capturing campaign.
In the letter, Peter Salam, Joint Secretary (Home) said that he is directed to refer to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) letter No. 25022/102/2018-F. I dated May 29, 2023 wherein it has been directed that the campaign for capturing biometric data of illegal migrants in the state of Manipur is to be completed by the end of September 2023.
The Union Home Affairs Ministry has asked Manipur and Mizoram governments to capture biographic and biometric details of ‘illegal migrants’ in the two states. MHA’s under-secretary Pratap Singh Rawat wrote to the chief secretaries of two states to capture biographic and biometric details of all illegal migrants, it will end by September of this year.
It also mentioned that nodal officers to undertake the process to capture biographic and biometric details of illegal migrants have been appointed.
With regards to the MHA letter, biometric capture has begun in Manipur, though the joint secretary (Home) of Manipur said a training cum handholding program of all the DCs and SPs on biometric capture of illegal immigrants has also been organized by the Home Department on July 26.
Salam said that all the Superintendents of Police of the districts are therefore requested to immediately commence the campaign for biometric capture of illegal Myanmar immigrants in the State for timely completion by September 2023.
''The National Crime Records Bureau (NBRC) team which has been deputed by MHA for training and handholding of state government officers, will assist and guide in the biometric capture exercise to be conducted at Foreigners' Detention Centre, Sajiwa, Imphal, East district on Saturday,” he added.
The joint secretary also said that districts requiring further training and handholding may depute their concerned officers to observe the biometric capturing process at the Foreigners' Detention Centre.
It may be mentioned here that the Manipur government reported that over 700 illegal immigrants from Myanmar entered the state recently.
Meanwhile, a report by a sub-committee of the Manipur cabinet has revealed that 2,187 illegal immigrants from Myanmar have set up settlements in 41 locations in four districts of Manipur. The subcommittee was headed by Tribal Affairs and Hill Development minister Letpao Haokip, who is one of ten MLAs who has called for a separate administration.
The report stated that the highest number of 1,147 Myanmar nationals are currently residing in Tengnoupal, followed by 81 in Chandel, 154 in Churachandpur and 5 in Kangpokpi.
Before the violence broke out on May 3, the state government had decided to identify the Myanmar nationals who had earlier sought asylum in Manipur, and keep them at designated detention centres.
