Stuck in Limbo: Situation of Chin IDPs in Myanmar and Chin Refugees in India

Conditions in the camps are woefully inadequate, unhealthy, and overcrowded. The temporary makeshifts often built with tarpaulin and bamboos are easily flammable and not stable enough to withstand strong wind.

Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan 2022 estimates that around 6.2 million people will need life-saving humanitarian support in Myanmar and requests 826 million USD.5 The global Chin Humanitarian and Relief Committee (GHRC), a group that collects and helps manage funds from Chin churches and community organizations worldwide, estimates that at least 10 million USD will be immediately needed to accommodate the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Chin state. The people who need more urgent help are the ones who are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. For the Chin refugees and IDPs, despite efforts being made by the local CSOs, churches, and overseas Chin communities to help alleviate the situation, the growing needs cannot be met by this alone. Short-term needs such as food, water, and shelter are being met, but the more critical and potentially volatile issues have yet to be addressed: where will the Chin refugees eventually go? Moreover, the long-term solutions, the right to property, healthcare, work, education, and a secure future, have not been on the agenda yet.

Although realities on the ground indicate only a worsening situation with no immediate solution in sight, the people continue to engage in fierce resistance with incredible courage and resilience. “We are willing and ready to sacrifice everything for freedom, self-determination, and our future generation” is the general sentiment expressed by most people that our team has spoken with on the ground. The recent ramp-up attacks, which is part of the Anawrahta Operation on the Chin people, particularly in Thantlang and Mindat towns, have forced at least 40,000 civilians out of their homes and sought refuge elsewhere in Chin state and the neighboring state of Mizoram, India. IDPs and refugees on the ground expressed their feelings and explained their situation as extremely difficult and with little hope for resolutions anytime soon.

Data collected during the field trip shows that the number of internally displaced people and refugees has been increasing, indicating that the humanitarian crisis is likely to worsen as time goes by. It also shows that international humanitarian organizations have been slow and ineffective in addressing displaced Chins situations within Myanmar and India. This dire situation requires immediate and effective actions to terminate military dictatorship and violence, build substantive federal democracy, and address people’s developmental and humanitarian needs.