Seeking refugee status, they are trickling back "in search of a home and access to better life"
Days after being forcibly evicted from Delhi, several hundred Rohingya asylum seekers, who participated in the protest demanding refugee status in India this past week, are now trickling back into the Capital “in search of a home and access to better life.”
“After the Indian government assured us that they will issue long-term visas, it directed the Delhi Police to immediately disperse the protesters and instructed us to return to our place of residence in the country. Several participants who came to Delhi from Rajasthan, Jammu and various parts of Uttar Pradesh were bundled into buses and abandoned at railway stations, bus stands and some people were left on the outskirts of the Capital without food, water or any means of communication with our friends. Many of them are now returning to the Capital to keep up the pressure on the Indian government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. We feel that being in the Capital gives us more security and better access to food, shelter and healthcare facilities,” said Zia-Ur-Rahman, who claims to have managed to return to the Capital to admit his seven-month-old son to a hospital for acute stomach infection.
Also forced to return in search of their family members, Mr. Zia said: “The eviction by the police was done in such haste that many people are now untraceable and several of us are coming back to Delhi to look for them.”
Non-government organisation ‘Zakat Foundation of India' is housing and taking care of 50 Rohingya families (over 200 people) in the Okhla area. It had to turn down the request of taking in 30 more people on Friday afternoon.
“We are in talks with the authorities to rent more space for the people coming in but as of now there is no space for more people. Friday witnessed several asylum seekers trickling back into the city. They tell us that Delhi seems to be a less hostile place,” said Dr. Najam-Us-Salam of the Foundation.
“We were forced to live without access to basic healthcare, food, shelter, work permits or any legal protection. We feel that living in the Capital gives us visibility and maybe also better opportunity,” said Mohammed Yusuf, who six months ago fled Myanmar with his wife, eight children and his 95-year-old mother-in-law in search of a better life in India.
“I came to Uttar Pradesh to a friend's house in the hope that in India I will find the home that was denied to me in my country of birth. However, me and my family have been vagabonds ever since. Desperate to end the uncertainty surrounding our future, we participated in the sit-in protest in Delhi demanding refugee status from the Indian government. Though we were picked up by the Delhi Police and left near Uttar Pradesh, we have come back to Delhi knowing that we will be better off here,” said Mr. Yusuf.
“We plan to stay in some area which has people from our community and hope that at least my children will have one meal a day. That is my aspiration for my family now, lets see what tomorrow brings in for us,” he said.
Keywords: Burma refugees, Rohingya asylum seekers, Delhi police, Dr. Najam-Us-Salam, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
I feel bad for them. But we have our hands full with problems here
already. Bangladesh has been throwing population grenades at her
neighboring countries. It is time for them to be responsible. We should
send all of them back to their homeland, Bangladesh.
There was and is no ethnic group called 'Rohingya' in all histories. 'Rohingya' history is 1002nd Arabian nights (one additional story to the original1001) and their ship wreck story belongs to one of the "Sailor Sinbad Adventures'.
All of them are Chittagonian Bengalis. Population explosion in Bangladesh cannot be controlled by their govt. anymore and Bangladeshis enter all neighboring countries like India and Burma using the 'Mask of Rohingyas'.
I completely agree with Kyaw Than. The problem is population explosion in Bangladesh. Over population of Bangladesh is not only causing problem for Myanmar in the form of infiltration, but also to India's north east like Assam, Meghalaya etc. That infiltration is the very reason India built a razor wire fence along Indo Bangladesh border.
'Rohinyga' is an invented identity. These Bengali people were brought to Myanmar during British rule without the consent of the native people. Anyway, as a fellow human being I feel sorry for their suffering. The solution lies in persuading Bangladesh to accept its own people.
@kyaw than its hard for you to conceal your typical burmese venom against the
people of the sub continent. Burma has for decades the record for human rights
violations,not to forget about the thousands of Indians,driven out in the late 1960's
for no reason. They were once the prosperous community in Burma and contributed
to the economy in a major way.
Even if your argument on the hapless refugees living in India is taken as a debate,
who gave you the right to label them as people inexcess.What do you think about
yourself in the first place? A demon would be the apt title for you. its unfortunate
that Hindu newspaper has published a racist viewshere. Thieves and racists from
Burma don't deserve to talk about India's internal issues. Burmese fishermen are
notorious in venturing in Indian waters to make a catch on the sly. Not to forget
about all those lies Burmese did to migrate to USA and
European countries,on the garb of human rights violations.
I must say India and Indian can become the worlds worst RACIST Nation.This action will certainly lead to misfits in society and them joining organisation that are at the sideliine to brainwash their minds to do acts that harm National Security.Give them a skill they will cherish this and payback to society for a Better India for all.
We, Burmese are feeling pain to seeing this type of report and article calling them as Burmese. It is very complex issue for Burma and Bangladesh. Every Burmese know these are illegal infiltraters from Bangladesh. They are nothing link with any ethnic group from Burma religious, racially and linguistically. In fact they are Bangali and result of un-control population explosion of Bangladesh. Our brethren from Northeastern state of India know it and easy to share our agony on this regard. There no word of Rohingya in Burmese poltical history till 1980s and it appeared in some internation media after Ne win introduced Citizen Law in 1982 and launching un-successful Nagar-min (Dragon King) operation in 1985 to drive out illegal infiltrators. It was big conspiracy by vested interest against territory integrity of Burma. we can be sympathatic to their plight, but not at the cost of interest our nation. There no reason Burma have to shoulder burden of Bangladesh's population explosion crisis
The UNHCR and Indian govt should bring the promises practically as soon as possible.The poor and helpless Rohingyas have no access to eat and to live under open sky. I request to the authority of India, NGO's and the UNHCR provide protection and help to the Rohingyas on emergency base.
M.Hussain Azmi, Frankfurt-Germany
www.rohingya.de
Rohingyas are stateless people, India would be more of a humanitarian society if people like the Rohingyas are at least provided temporary shelter.
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