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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the Indian government’s expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar, citing a lack of legal protections and due process. In a statement released Thursday, HRW alleged that hundreds of Rohingya refugees have also been arbitrarily detained and mistreated since a nationwide removal campaign began in May.
The campaign, reportedly led by states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), targets individuals labeled as “illegal immigrants,” including Bengali-speaking Muslims. Many of those expelled were registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), yet were still deported.
Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia Director, urged Indian authorities to halt unlawful expulsions, recognize Rohingya as refugees, and cooperate with UNHCR to ensure their protection.
Concerns have also been raised by UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, who criticized reports that refugees were removed from an Indian naval vessel and abandoned at sea. India’s Supreme Court recently dismissed a petition to halt deportations and declined to recognize UNHCR-issued refugee cards, citing the country’s non-signatory status to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have faced decades of persecution. While nearly one million fled to Bangladesh in 2017, thousands remain in India under uncertain legal status.
【Sources: Human Rights Watch, JURIST】
Excerpts from jurist.org article by Ishika Tanwar | The West Bengal National U. of Juridical Sciences, IN
