Kolkata, India – Since the government of Manipur, a northeast Indian state, ordered the deportation of Rohingya refugees on March 8, Muhammad Hamin has been unable to sleep at night. The state’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, announced on social media that the first group of refugees had been deported, but the plan was later halted when Myanmar refused to cooperate.
Hamin, a Rohingya refugee who arrived in India in 2018, is now in New Delhi, nearly 1,700 kilometers away from Manipur. Despite the distance, he closely follows news updates and spends his time watching television and scrolling through social media, worried that members of his community might be deported. The fear of deportation has created panic among many Myanmar nationals in India, who worry about facing violence and bloodshed if they are forced to return.
Ironically, just three days after the crackdown on Rohingya refugees began in Manipur, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced the implementation of a controversial citizenship law. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) offers Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighboring countries, but it excludes Muslim communities, including the Rohingya, who are also victims of religious persecution.
For Rohingya refugees in India, their predicament is exacerbated by their precarious situation in the country. India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, and it lacks a specific law protecting refugees. This has led to criticism of the government’s double standard in granting citizenship to some persecuted minorities while ignoring the Rohingya and other Muslim communities.
The situation is particularly concerning because the Rohingya have experienced violence and repression in Myanmar for decades. In 2017, over 750,000 Rohingya were forced to flee their homeland due to a military campaign that the UN described as having “genocidal intent”. Many sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh, while others made their way to India.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are nearly 79,000 refugees from Myanmar, including Rohingya, living in India, with around 22,000 registered with the agency. However, their status remains uncertain, as the Indian government claims they do not have a fundamental right to live in the country.
The government’s stance has faced criticism, with Supreme Court lawyer Colin Gonsalves stating that the right to live applies to all residents of India, including refugees fleeing religious persecution. The Indian Constitution protects their rights. Gonsalves emphasized that refugees cannot be sent back to the places they fled due to the fear of physical or sexual assault.
Activists and advocates for the Rohingya in India are concerned that deportations could put the lives of refugees at risk, especially considering the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. They urge the Indian government to hand over the Rohingya to the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), a platform of opposition parties in Myanmar, if deportation is pursued.
In addition to the challenges they face within the legal system, Rohingya refugees in India have also been subjected to hate campaigns on social media by alleged right-wing Hindu groups. Rohingya activists have filed petitions demanding action against companies like Facebook for allowing hate speech against the community.
The portrayal of the Rohingya as a potential national security threat by the Indian media has further compounded their difficulties. Activists argue that they simply seek protection until the situation improves in their home country, but the future appears bleak for the Rohingya in India.