7 Rohingyas deported to Myanmar 'will be killed very soon', fear refugees

NEW DELHI: Rohingya Muslims living in India fear that the seven refugees deported to Myanmar will soon be executed.

"We just request Indian govt to let us stay here until there is peace in our country. Seven Rohingyas who were deported will be killed very soon," say Rohingya refugees staying at Kalindi Kunj camp, who fear abuse at the hands of Myanmar authorities.

Delhi: Rohingya refugees staying at Kalindi Kunj camp don't want to return to Myanmar fearing for their lives. A refugee says "We just request Indian govt to let us stay here until there is peace in our country. Seven Rohingyas who were deported will be killed very soon." (6.10) pic.twitter.com/XfX1EJwPsN — ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2018

On Thursday, India deported seven Rohingya Muslim men to Myanmar, raising fears of further repatriations among those sheltering in refugee camps in the country.

The seven men had been in a detention centre in Cachar Central Jail in Assam's Silchar since 2012 after being arrested for illegal entry.

In this photo provided by Assam Police are seen seven Rohingya immigrants being handed over to Myanmar authorities after completing deportation formalities, at Moreh border post in Manipur, Thursday, Oct 4, 2018. 

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, a Rohingya refugee, Mohammad Farooq said, "I have been living here since 2012. I only request the government to let us live here. We have faced a lot of hardships in our country. We did not leave our country out of greed, no one really wants to leave their own nation."

Around 40,000 Rohingya live in India according to government estimates, most of them in camps, having arrived over the years after fleeing violence and persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which denies them citizenship.

More than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Rakhine in August 2017 after Myanmar`s army launched a massive crackdown in its northern state, retaliating the attacks by insurgents Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on the country`s police posts and a military base.

Clarifying the Centre's stand over the deportation, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the seven Rohingyas refugees were repatriated to Myanmar after confirming their willingness to go back and with the full concurrence of the Government of Myanmar.

“Upon reconfirming their willingness to be repatriated on Oct 3, 2018, and with the full concurrence of the Government of Myanmar, in accordance with established procedures and laws, the Government of Assam has arranged for the repatriation of these seven individuals to Myanmar," said the MEA in a statement, adding that the Myanmar government has issued Certificates of Identity to facilitate travel of these individuals to their hometowns in Rakhine State. 

The Supreme Court had also refused to interfere in Centre's decision to deport the refugees. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi announced that the seven Rohingyas were found to be illegal immigrants and Myanmar has accepted them as its citizens.

With agency inputs