Title : Displaced but not invisible: Socio-economic implications of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram
Abstract:
This study explores the livelihood strategies and socio-economic challenges faced by Chin refugees from Myanmar who have settled in relief camps in Aizawl, Mizoram, India, following the 2021 military coup. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork across four major refugee sites—Sihhmui, Sairang, Synod Revival, and Luangmual—this research analyzes how refugees navigate displacement through informal labor, community support, and cultural kinship. The findings reveal sharp disparities in access to resources and social integration between camps, with some communities demonstrating greater resilience due to remittances and stronger support networks. Framed within a human rights lens, the study highlights the precarious legal status of these refugees in India, a country that is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Refugees face systemic barriers to employment, education, and healthcare, often living without documentation or formal protection. These conditions constitute serious human rights challenges that deepen the vulnerabilities of an already marginalized population. The study also emphasizes the pivotal role of informal, community-based social work—primarily carried out by churches, the Young Mizo Association (YMA), and faith-based volunteers—in sustaining refugee well-being. These grassroots interventions provide essential services such as housing, food, informal education, and psychosocial support, filling critical gaps left by the absence of state-sponsored aid. By integrating perspectives from human rights and social work, this research contributes to broader discussions on forced migration policy in South Asia and advocates for a rights-based, community-empowered framework to support refugee resilience and integration.
Keywords: Chin; YMA; Myanmar; Mizoram; refugees
