‘We’re peace-loving people, have no terror links’, Rohingyas to Supreme Court

In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, Rohingyas said that they were peace-loving people.

New Delhi, Sep 23: A few days after the Narendra Modi government told the Supreme Court that Rohingya Muslims are "illegal" immigrants in the country and their continued stay posed "serious national security ramifications", an affidavit submitted by two Rohingyas in reply to the Centre's plan to deport them on Friday stated that the refugees from Myanmar are "peace-loving" people and were forced to leave their homeland to escape violence and persecution.

In the same affidavit, the Rohingyas asked the Indian government to accord them special refugee status to have long-term visas and get local jobs. Recently, the Centre told the apex court its plans to deport around 40,000 Rohingyas currently staying in India.

The Rohingyas denied that their community members have any terror links. The petitioners 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 Rohingyas in their reply to the Centre's stand said that they were not illegal immigrants but refugees fleeing their own country under fear of religious persecution and hence should be treated as such.

"We are 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," stated the affidavit.

Thus, as per the international law, Rohingyas are "refugees" and had fled their country to avoid persecution and cannot return to their homeland. Under the circumstances, the Indian 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.

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