April 2, 2025: Former Manipur CM N. Biren Singh has raised several questions on the current illegal immigrant fiasco encountered by the state, indirectly suggesting that past blunders have shaped today’s Manipur reality.
“Is Manipur a dumping ground for refugees from the very beginning?” N. Biren Singh questioned and wrote, “Amid all the political noise and distractions that often cloud our public discourse, we must not lose sight of the core issue, one that has been quietly shaping Manipur’s reality for decades.”
Even before Manipur became a full-fledged state, “thousands of refugees were settled here with the knowledge of the authorities at the time,” according to official records.
N. Biren Singh also brought to light two historical official documents—one written by Henkhoset Haokip, dated 15th Feb 1973, the Chairman of the Burma Kuki Refugee Association (BKRA), to the Government of India (New Delhi), requesting further relief and rehabilitation measures in favor of the Kuki Burma repatriates. The other was an official letter sent by the then MP Paokai Haokip on June 20, 1973, addressed to the Minister of State for Home Affairs, asking for the government’s financial assistance for the rehabilitation of about 1,500 Kuki refugees who had settled in Manipur after leaving Burma (now Myanmar).
As early as the late 1960s and early 70s, documents reveal the presence of over 1,500 families who had crossed over and were provided assistance for rehabilitation. This wasn’t an isolated event. There were multiple letters from MPs, government departments, and refugee associations, all pointing to the presence of a large number of refugees in Manipur, N. Biren Singh added.
