The Union Home Ministry cautioned Northeastern states bordering Myanmar against influx from the neighbouring country in view of the largescale protests following a coup there, and asked them to take appropriate actions as per law.
MHA deputy secretary has written a letter to chief secretaries of Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and DG Assam Rifles to stay alert in all kinds of situations.
The home ministry told the four Northeastern states--Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to guard against the influx of civilians and government officials from Myanmar and urged to take all precautions if they found anyone entering India or trying to sneak into the country
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The four states were also told to take action as per the law and deal with any situation, officials said.
“Further, it is reiterated that state governments and UTs have no power to grant ‘refugee’ status to any foreigner and India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol,” instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs in its notification
The Mizoram government has recently said 16 people from Myanmar crossed over to India, of which 11 have claimed that they were police personnel.
After the entry of Myanmarese nationals, authorities of that country had requested the Mizoram administration to send back eight policemen, who crossed over to the northeastern state to take refuge, following last month's military coup in the neighbouring country.
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Mizoram shares a 510-km-long porous border with Myanmar.
Mass demonstrations are being held in Myanmar against the declaration of a year-long emergency by the country's armed forces.
India is not a signatory to the UN Convention on refugees.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had also said several people from Myanmar tried to enter Manipur but returned on seeing the presence of a large number of security personnel. Manipur shares a 398-km border with Myanmar.
Arunachal Pradesh shares a 520-km border with Myanmar while Nagaland shares a 215 km border with the country.
The total length of the India-Myanmar border is 1,643 km, which is unfenced and porus.
Earlier, Myanmar urged the Mizoram administration to hand over eight officers who apparently crossed over to the Indian state to take refuge from last month's military coup in the country, informed officials.
Assam Rifles DIG Brigadier Digvijay Singh, on his part, said security has been stepped up along the border to stop infiltration from the trouble-torn country.
"Several people have attempted to cross the border...We did not push them back by force but politely told them that they cannot illegally enter the Indian Territory. Many of them have returned," Singh, who is camping at Champhai, told PTI over the phone.
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With PTI Inputs
