Most of the roughly 3,000 Chin refugees living in the Indian capital New Delhi have been issued new identification cards by the UN refugee agency UNHCR.
“More than 2,800 Chin refugees have received the new card. This includes people who had the old card and others who have completed the UN’s notification interview,” Salai Cung Dawt, head of the Chin Human Rights Organization, told Khonumthung News.
According to Salai Cung Dawt, UNHCR officials will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to issue new cards to those who do not yet have them.
“The UNHCR is still drafting its policy for those who were late registering for a new card. It will make all decisions based on a careful review of their background,” he said.
The new card will be valid until April 2021. It will allow cardholders to legally reside in India, but provides no other benefits.
There are around 3,000 Chin refugees living in New Delhi. According to news sources, almost all of them have already received the new UN refugee cards.
The UNHCR began issuing the cards last month after determining that the Chin refugees still require the protection of the international community—a reversal of a decision made in late 2018 to withdraw support.