Rohingya Refugees Allegedly Forced into Sea by Indian Authorities
NEW DELHI (AP) — Reports indicate that Indian authorities compelled dozens of Rohingya refugees to leave a naval vessel and enter the water off the coast of Myanmar last week, after providing them with life vests. This claim has been supported by a United Nations agency, family members of the refugees, and their legal counsel.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights stated on Thursday that at least 40 Rohingya refugees were detained in New Delhi and subsequently thrown into the sea by the Indian navy near the maritime border with Myanmar. Among those affected were children, women, and the elderly. While they managed to swim to shore, their current location in Myanmar is unknown.
Five Rohingya refugees confirmed to the Associated Press that some of their family members were part of the group detained by Indian officials on May 6. This group, which included 15 Christians, was transported by air and later pushed into the sea by the Indian navy on May 8.
According to Dilawar Hussain, the refugees’ attorney, the families have filed a petition in India’s Supreme Court, urging the government to retrieve them from Myanmar and return them to New Delhi. Nevertheless, India’s navy and foreign ministry have declined to comment on the situation.
The U.N. rights office has indicated the appointment of a U.N. expert to investigate these “unconscionable, unacceptable acts.” The agency has urged the Indian government against treating Rohingya refugees inhumanely, particularly regarding repatriation to conditions that pose significant threats to their safety in Myanmar.
Tom Andrews, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, condemned the incident as a direct violation of the principle of non-refoulment under international law. He labeled the actions as “blatant disregard for the lives and safety” of individuals needing international protection.
India, which lacks a national policy on refugees, does not abide by the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Nevertheless, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees have fled oppression in Myanmar, an area where genocide has been alleged. According to Refugees International, around 40,000 Rohingya live in India, with at least 22,500 registered with the UNHCR, often in deplorable conditions.
