Assam Police Hands Over 7 Rohingya Refugees to Myanmar Authorities

They were convicted under Foreigners Act as illegal migrants.

The court convicted them under Foreigners Act as illegal migrants.

(Photo: AP)

The Assam Police has handed over seven Rohingyas who had entered the country in 2012 to Myanmar authorities, reported ANI. The Supreme Court had allowed their deportation on Thursday, 4 October.

The apex court said it found the seven Rohingyas “illegal immigrants”.

MEA'S CLAIMS

According to ANI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said:

“In accordance with established procedures and previous precedent and with the assistance of MEA, the Embassy of Myanmar was able to establish the identity of these individuals as residents of that country.”

The MEA has also said that the Myanmar government has issued certificates of identity to "facilitate travel of these individuals to their hometowns in Rakhine State."

“The individuals also requested in 2016 that Embassy of Myanmar should issue them relevant travel documents to facilitate their return to their country.”

The MEA further claimed that the Government of Assam has arranged for the repatriation of the seven Rohingya individuals "upon reconfirming their willingness to be repatriated on 3 October, 2018" and with full concurrence of the Government of Myanmar.

BUT THERE WAS A PLEA

A plea was moved in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking to restrain the Centre from deporting to Myanmar seven Rohingyas lodged in a detention centre at Silchar in Assam.

The Chief Justice of India heard the case first at the request of Prashant Bhushan, who argued that the deportation should be stayed.

The seven Rohingya refugees, who had entered India in 2012, had been moved to Moreh near Imphal, from where they were to be sent across the border.

Bhushan had requested the SC to ask the officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to interview the men and ask if they are willing to return.

COUNTER TO THE PLEA

ASG Tushar Mehta argued before the Supreme Court that the seven refugees had been convicted under the Foreigners Act, and as a result were illegal migrants.

He also submitted an affidavit stating that the Embassy of Myanmar was willing to provide identity documents to the men, and that Myanmar had accepted the men as their citizens and agreed to take them back.

HERE'S WHAT THE CJI DECIDED

CJI Ranjan Gogoi accepted the government submissions, noting that the men had been convicted by the Foreigners Tribunal and also that Myanmar was ready to accept them as nationals.

As a result, the court dismissed the application seeking stay on the deportation.

UN CRITICISES THE DEPORTATION

“A flagrant denial of their right to protection and could amount to refoulement.”

Tendayi Achiume, UN said regarding the deportation move

UN Special Rapporteur Tendayi Achiume criticised the government’s intention to deport the men on Tuesday.

The UN has recognised the discrimination and violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar on numerous occasions, even going so far as calling for Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for attempting to commit genocide.