Children from the families in Myanmar who resorted in Mizoram. Photo: Special arrangement
The battle between two ethnic armed groups in Myanmar forced about 4,000 Bradans in the country in the country.
Mizoram’s Champhai District officials said the waves of myanmar nationals began to cross the border bridge in Zokhawthar and the Tiau River because shooting broke out on July 3, 2025. The river defines part 510 km between Mizoram and Myanmar.
“Refugees are hiding in the houses of their relatives, schools and community halls. They are concentrated in the villages of Zokhawthar and Vaphai,” the district official said, refusing to be quoted.
The Tiau River, which defines part of the boundary between India and Myanmar, can be seen from Zokhawthar in Mizorama. File | Photo Credit: AFP
Myanmar China and the dominant mizos from Mizoram are members of the community of larger ZO, as well as Kukis, Zomis, Hmars and Kuki-Chins (Bangladesh). For these ethnic groups, it is not unusual to have relatives on both sides of the border.
According to community elders in Zokhawthar, refugees began to run down after the movement of armed men in areas near the border less than a week. “Warning shots” exploded on July 5.
Security officials guarding the border said the fight was between Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) and Chinland defensive power-Hualngoram (CDF-H) for control of areas considered strategic for border trade in India.
After two days of fire exchange, CNDF learned to capture all eight CDF-H camps in the area.
Both groups are part of the folk defensive force that leads the resistance movement against the Myanmar military junta, which captured the power of the coup in 2021.
“Given the unstable situation across the border, we did not ask these refugees, many of them women and children, return. Our villagers and members of NGOs such as the young Association Mizo take care of the basic needs of refugees,” said the district official.
On Sunday (July 6, 2025), political advisor Mizoram Lalduhoma Lalmuanpuia Punte reportedly visited the border area to interview the leaders of both extremist groups to stop violence.
More than 30,000 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh live in Mizorams. About 2,000 refugees from Bangladesh arrived two years ago after clashes between their community armed ethnic group and Bangladesh security forces.
In addition to refugees since 2023 in Mizoram, more than 5,000 Kuki-zo people have been displaced by ethnic violence in neighboring manipure.
Published – July 7, 2025 9:29
