Fire incident in Dimapur sparks concern over illegal migrants

Chaotic scenes in social media after a massive fire that broke out at Burma Camp's East Block colony recently has attracted serious concerns among many as it was indicative of the consequences of presence of a large number of illegal immigrants.In the video, scores of suspected illegal immigrants are seen obstructing and forcibly pulling at the hose pipes of the fire tenders which had arrived on the scent to contain the blazing inferno. In the video voices presumably of fire fighters can be heard cautioning the immigrants against trying to circumvent the operation.According to one GB from Burma Camp's Niu Colony Hozka Sumi, there had been concerns that several hundreds of illegal settlers at nearby Dudu colony at Lahorijan colony of Bokajan had escaped or taken refuge in some areas of Dimapur. The GB said it was believed that many of the fleeing illegal settlers from nearby Dudu colony at Lahorijan (near New Field Check Gate Dimapur) had sought refuge in Burma Camp.It may be recalled that as per the decision of the land revenue department of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, an eviction drive was carried on December 20, 2021 by the district administration, paramilitary and state police personnel where 200 bighas were cleared off illegal settlers.

Even court stay orders against demolition, obtained by several settlers were dismissed by the authorities as the KAAC chief Tuliram Ronghang said false land documents were submitted before the court.According to those who were contacted by Nagaland Post Sunday, the issue of checking and preventing unabated influx of suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants has resurfaced and also the urgent need to implement recommendation of the Banuo Commission on Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN). The Banuo Commission had submitted its recommendation at the end of 2019 but the state government was yet to take a call on it.RIIN would also facilitate the enforcement of Inner Line Permit (ILP) over Dimapur as per the state government order on December 11,2019. However, the cut-off date for RIIN has been a bone of contention.

While all tribe hohos of Nagaland insisted on December 1,1963 as the cut-off date, the state government had put the cut-off date as November 21,1979.Recently, state chief minister in his speech at the felicitation at the Kohima DPDB meeting on April 15, reiterated that implementation of RIIN will depend on village councils (VCs).The issue of ILP in Dimapur had been demanded for several years as a measure to check and prevent influx of suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.The Burma Camp episode as uploaded on social media has only served to highlight the problem.Commenting on the issue, former DGP Nagaland Besesayo Kezo expressed shock at the audacity of suspected immigrants.

He said the situation also exposed the failure of Nagas about their fate and others of doubtful nationality to reside as tenants and residents in their houses.Kezo also reiterated that house owners should verify the antecedents of their prospective tenants while the local authorities should also deny strangers from residing in the colonies.

He said the state government must arrest and imprison illegal foreigners.