Amid political row, fear relapses amongst Rohingya refugees

NEW DELHI: A day after the Centre flip-flopped on the order to settle Rohingya Muslims into the EWS flat at Bakkarwala near the Tikri border, the refugee people living in camps in Delhi are in a state of apprehension about their future. For instance, those living in the Rohingya camp at Kanchan Kunj near the Kalindi Kunj Metro Station feel they now stare at a precarious future.

Minara, one of the residents of the refugee camp, said, “Yesterday, an officer from the SDM office informed us that, we would be settled in the EWS flats. We all thought that it will be good news for us. Later, we learned that the order was reversed, but we did not receive any information from the SDM office.”

In the Kanchan Kunj camp, there are over thousands of Rohingyas, who are living in some 53 enclosures, constructed with makeshift walls and covered with tarpaulin. Most of the residents are employed in low-wage work like daily labour, fishermen, guards and mechanics.

Minara, 30, had been moved to the Kanchankunj camp after rescuing herself and her kids from the Gutida Village in Myanmar in 2012. She said that moving to a good home is always a better option for us. “We are living in grim conditions here. Our homes burnt twice in the last ten years, and there is always a fear of fire or the attack of wild reptiles or rodents,” said Minara.

Mohammed Salimullah, the community leader of the refugee camp, has the same concerns. “When we read Hardeep Puri’s tweet we felt happy, but later we realised that this could be one of the types of detention centres for us,” said Salimullah.

Further, he said, “Today, we had a meeting with the UNHCR’s members, and they told us not to worry about the situation, no one is ending you to deportation. They also said that we should avoid talking to the media.”He also stated, “We are not the only refugees in India. There are more than fourteen refugees in the country. But don’t know why we are always the target for their politics.”

Amina, 26, had also shifted to the camp in 2012, said, “My house burned twice in the last ten years. After that, I could not sleep properly thinking about the fire. Yesterday, happiness came to our camps but was later snatched from us.”