New Delhi, April 4: Days after UN human rights experts condemned the Indian Government’s decision to deport three more Rohingya to Myanmar, Ministry of External Affairs has called the reports as misleading and stated repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws.
Briefing a press conference on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We've seen the statement to which you refer. Interpretation made of facts of case, as portrayed in the statement, are misleading. Repatriation of illegal immigrants to their country of origin is in accordance with Indian laws.” Rumana Akter, 20, is First Rohingya Woman Shot Dead by Bangladeshi Forces in Crackdown on Drug Peddlers.
Adding on, he said that actions were taken in response to instructions of India's courts to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants. Kumar said, “Actions are being taken in response to instructions of India's courts, which have required Govt at State and Union levels to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants. Govt will continue to take actions as necessary in implementation of Indian laws and as directed by our Judiciary.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Office of the High Commissioner (OCHR) of the United Nations Human Rights released a statement condemning the actions by the Indian government to decide to deport three more Rohingya to Myanmar and urged the authorities to stop such forced deportations which are prohibited under international law. UN Warns Bangladesh Government Against Relocation Of Rohingya Refugees.
The reports stated that among the three Rohingyas deported include a father and his children on charges related to lack of documentation. They had been imprisoned since 2013. The Indian government had on January 3 separated and forcibly returned five other members of their family to Myanmar, added the report.
Experts have said, as OCHR reports state, “We are dismayed by the decision of the Indian Government to continue forced returns of Rohingya to Myanmar, where they face high risk of attacks, reprisals and other forms of persecution because of their ethnic and religious identity.”
According to the international law, ‘the principle of non-refoulement prohibits States from forcing individuals to return to countries when there are substantial grounds for believing that they would be at risk of persecution, torture, ill-treatment or other serious human rights violations’. Bangladesh Proposes Creation of Safe Zone for Rohingyas In Myanmar's Rakhine.
Expressing serious concern on the issue, experts had said, “The deportation of Rohingya to Myanmar speaks to a system of refugee status determination that fails to account for the ongoing, credible reports of ethnic and religious minority persecution in that country.”
They also said, “We also remain concerned with the systemic use of indefinite detention of Rohingya in India, which is indicative of the unacceptable conditions of discrimination and intolerance they face in the country where they have sought refuge.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2019 06:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).