India Deports Hundreds of Rohingya Refugees

Srinagar, MINA – Indian police have detained more than 150 Rohingya refugees who were found to have been living illegally in the northern region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Two local officials who declined to be identified said they were starting the process of deporting Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees are in an emergency shelter at the Hira Nagar Jammu prison. Local authorities carry out biometric tests and other tests to verify their identity.

“This test is part of an effort to trace foreigners living in Jammu without valid documents. We have started the process of deporting these refugees,” said the official, who asked not to be named, as quoted from Republika on Monday.

The federal government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. The Modi government now manages the area from New Delhi.

The Hindu nationalist government considers the Rohingya to be ethnically illegal and can threaten security. The Indian government has ordered that the Rohingya refugees be immediately returned to their hometowns in Myanmar.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people were forced to leave their hometowns following a crackdown by the Myanmar military in 2017. Most of the Rohingya refugees live in camps in Bangladesh.

India rejected a statement by the United Nations (UN) which stated that the country that deported the Rohingya had violated the principle of refoulement. This principle is that refugees can face danger when they are returned to their places of origin.

Rohingya refugees living in India said their condition was not conducive to returning to Myanmar. They feel traumatized by experiencing violence and persecution by the Myanmar military.

In addition, the military coup that is currently underway will make their fate even worse. “We will return when peace returns to our country,” said a Rohingya Sufeera refugee, 28.

Sufeera said her uncle and brother had been sent to a holding center, leaving her alone with her children. Another refugee, Sadiq, 48, said his family members had also been detained at the holding center.

“We have been told that we will be deported. They took mom and dad. Who will take care of them, “said Sadiq. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)