India to deport seven Rohingya to Myanmar
The men are been deported to neighbouring Myanmar for illegally entering India, according to officials.
Indian police bused seven Rohingya to the border on Wednesday to be
deported to neighbouring Myanmar for illegal entry, officials and
activists said, the first such move against the community.
An estimated 40,000 Rohingya, a stateless, mostly Muslim minority, live
in India after having fled persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar over
the years.
The seven men being sent back had been held in prison since 2012 for illegal entry into the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government has
described undocumented Rohingya immigrants as posing a national security
threat and asked state governments last year to identify and deport
them.
Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, additional director general of police in the
northeastern state of Assam, said that the seven men would be handed
over to Myanmar authorities at the border on Thursday morning.
"This is a routine procedure, we deport all illegal foreigners," Mahanta said.
But a UN human rights official said the forcible return of the Rohingya violates international law.
“The Indian Government has an international legal obligation to fully
acknowledge the institutionalised discrimination, persecution, hate and
gross human rights violations these people have faced in their country
of origin and provide them the necessary protection," UN special
rapporteur on racism, Tendayi Achiume, said in a statement.
Myanmar’s government spokesman, Zaw Htay, did not answer telephone calls
on Wednesday from Reuters seeking comment on the handover of the men.
Last month, he said he would no longer speak to the media over the phone
but only at a biweekly conference.
More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after an army crackdown in Myanmar a year ago.
UN officials described the Myanmar military's action as ethnic
cleansing. Myanmar has denied the charge, saying its military had
launched counterinsurgency operations after attacks on security forces
by Rohingya militants in August last year.
Rights activists in India have opposed the government order to send back
the Rohingya and the Supreme Court is hearing a petition to stop the
deportations.
"This is perhaps the first instance of Rohingya refugees being deported
from India," said Cheryl D'Souza, a lawyer for the petitioners. She said
the court had agreed to hear the matter on Thursday.
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