In Episode 8 of Mission Manipur, Greeshma Kuthar delves into the use of the term "refugee" as a tool to incite hatred and division in the ongoing Manipur conflict. The episode highlights how the label "refugee" has been forced onto the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur which in turn has been weaponised by civil society organisations in Manipur, including former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

The situation intensified after Myanmar's military coup in 2021, leading to an influx of Burmese refugees into Manipur. A campaign was constructed to target these refugees and their identity, which started from branding them as "illegal immigrants" to using them as fuel to exacerbate existing ethnic tensions between Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo.

Kuthar underscores the precarious living conditions of the refugees, particularly in makeshift camps, and examines the broader implications of India’s refugee policy, especially in the north-eastern region. The episode questions why politicians use the plight of refugees to manipulate public opinion and ignite fear, pointing to the complex and often overlooked discussions surrounding refugee policies in this region. It also features insights from experts like Manoranjan Pegu and Angshuman Choudhury on the issue.

While Pegu highlights the historical discomfort that has existed in the region when it comes to refugees and questions the idea of tribal solidarity, Choudhury draws stark parallels between the situation playing out in Manipur today with that of Assam (and its National Register of Citizens exercise) in the recent past, pointing at imagined anxieties, alarmist tendencies, and xenophobia towards refugees.