Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned in a news release on Thursday the expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar “without rights protections.”
The news release also alleges that the Indian authorities have “arbitrarily detained several hundred more” Rohingya refugees while also “mistreating some of them.” HRW said the nationwide push began in May, when states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began an agenda to forcibly remove “illegal immigrants,” including the Rohingya and other Bengali-speaking Muslims. Many of these refugees are registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), but are nevertheless being removed.
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at HRW, has requested action by Indian authorities:
The Indian government should immediately end the intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unlawful expulsions of all Rohingya refugees and impartially investigate allegations that they were ill-treated […] Indian authorities should recognize Rohingya as refugees and work with the UN refugee agency to protect their rights.
A UN human rights expert recently announced concerns over reports that Rohingya refugees were removed from an Indian navy vessel and left in the Andaman Sea. UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Tom Andrews criticized the act as “nothing short of outrageous.” Meanwhile, the Arakan Army has also been accused of human rights abuses by HRW towards the Rohingya population.
In mid-May, India’s Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by two Rohingya refugees to prevent further deportations. The judge called the case a “‘beautifully crafted story,’” criticizing its lack of evidence and credibility. In a separate decision, the Supreme Court also refused to recognize the Rohingyas as refugees and declined to recognize UNHCR-issued refugee cards. This decision relates to the fact that India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and lacks a domestic legal framework for refugees.
The Rohingya are a stateless and predominantly Muslim ethnic group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State who have faced decades of systematic persecution. Nearly one million fled to neighboring country Bangladesh following a 2017 military campaign described by the UN as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Smaller numbers of Rohingya also sought refuge in India, where many remain in legal and social limbo.