Burmese democracy and social activists, Burmese Christian religious leaders and block leaders from Aizawl participated in the IIW day function organized by Ferrondo Integrated Women's Development Centre, a Mizoram based NGO that deals with immigrant workers issue.

"We are holding this function in an attempt to convince Mizoram authorities to acknowledge the situation of the Burmese immigrant workers in Mizoram, so that they will recognize them and provide the basic rights that migrant workers need to be access," Sister Rose, Director of FIWDC said.

"Though they (Burmese immigrant workers) are here temporarily, Mizoram should be the place where justice and safety is available to them," she added.

Most Burmese in Mizoram are engaged in domestic work, driving, wood cutting, road construction, weaving, and are goldsmiths. They get irregular and low wages from employers, sexual harassment from landlords and discrimination because of their weakness in being able to communicate in the local language and overwork among others according to a Burmese who attended the function.

"Another problem is when someone from Burma dies. It is very difficult to bury the dead in local cemeteries," he added.       

The participants who attended the IIW day agreed to do whatever is needed to solve the problems that Burmese immigrant workers in Mizoram face.

Meanwhile, the participants also called on the Mizoram government to pay heed to the plight of Burmese immigrant workers and address their problems.

On Tuesday, a migrant worker from Chin state, Burma died due to lack of treatment in Mizoram. He could not afford medical attention as he was not paid by his employer. – Khonumthung.