We are peace loving refugees, allow us to stay: Rohingyas to Supreme Court
, ET Bureau|
Updated: Sep 23, 2017, 01.29 AM IST
NEW DELHI: Two members of the 40,000-odd Rohingya Muslims facing deportation told the Supreme Court on Friday that most Rohingyas were “peace-leaving” and had fled Myanmar to India to escape persecution and should be accorded special refugee status to have long-term visas and get local jobs.
The two members representing the community, who moved SC to prevent deportation, pleaded that the government could screen the community for links to terror groups and deny refugee status to suspects as was done in the case of Sri Lankan Tamils.
The affidavit came in reply to the government stand that they were illegal immigrants who must go back to their own country. The reply said Rohingyas were not illegal immigrants but refugees fleeing their own country under fear of religious persecution and hence should be treated as such. They were not demanding any right to settle in India, but seeking protection guaranteed under the Constitution.
There is an abundance of material to show that the Rohingyas are being forced to flee Myanmar due to atrocities systematically carried out against them on account of their religious and ethnic identity, it said. Therefore, under international law, they are “refugees” who are fleeing persecution and cannot return to their home country. In these circumstance it is submitted that the government cannot deal with them as illegal immigrants.
“The Rohingya community have come to India are refugees and have fled Myanmar because of severe repression and genocide. Even their houses have been burnt and therefore they are not mere illegal migrants. They are thus entitled to protection under various international conventions which India has signed and ratified which mention the principle of non-refoulement,” the affidavit said.
The two members representing the community, who moved SC to prevent deportation, pleaded that the government could screen the community for links to terror groups and deny refugee status to suspects as was done in the case of Sri Lankan Tamils.
The affidavit came in reply to the government stand that they were illegal immigrants who must go back to their own country. The reply said Rohingyas were not illegal immigrants but refugees fleeing their own country under fear of religious persecution and hence should be treated as such. They were not demanding any right to settle in India, but seeking protection guaranteed under the Constitution.
There is an abundance of material to show that the Rohingyas are being forced to flee Myanmar due to atrocities systematically carried out against them on account of their religious and ethnic identity, it said. Therefore, under international law, they are “refugees” who are fleeing persecution and cannot return to their home country. In these circumstance it is submitted that the government cannot deal with them as illegal immigrants.
“The Rohingya community have come to India are refugees and have fled Myanmar because of severe repression and genocide. Even their houses have been burnt and therefore they are not mere illegal migrants. They are thus entitled to protection under various international conventions which India has signed and ratified which mention the principle of non-refoulement,” the affidavit said.
