More than a thousand ethnic Shanni people have fled to Manipur state on the Myanmar-India border, according to the International Tai Meitei (Kassay) Association (ITMA), a COS (India).
According to the ITMA, 1,066 Shanni people from Thanan, Soetharyar and Aung Zeya villages in Tamu Township in Sagaing Region took refuge in Manipur state.
The Shanni ethnic groups who fled to India include 262 children under the age of 10 and more than 500 women.
“The Tai-Shans or Shannis are like are our brothers and considering the extremely difficult situation they are facing at present, we Meitei (Kassay) ought to help them,” President of ITMA Maheshsana Rajkumar said.
The President of ITMA appealed to the State Government to extend financial help as well as relief materials to Shanni refugees from Myanmar taking shelter there.
It is reported that ITMA and Shan CSOs in Manipur state of India visited Shanni ethnic groups fleeing the war and provided some assistance on 21 December.
On 22 November, the locals fled to India as the Kuki National Army (KNA)-Burma and the Chin National Defense Army (CNDF) and Tamu District People’s Defense Force (PDF) started fighting in nearby villages including Thanan village.
Shanni National Unity Association (SNUA) issued a statement saying that this incident is the forced expulsion of Shanni people from the village.
According to the SNUA’s statement, there are 1,066 refugees in total—518 from Aungzeya village, 285 from Thanan village and Soetharyar village in Tamu Township.
Sent by Shanni voice