Rohingya Refugees Pushed into the Sea by Indian Authorities Prompt UN Investigation

The United Nations has called for an investigation into allegations that Indian authorities have rounded up Rohingya refugees and expelled them into the Andaman Sea, with only life jackets, off the coast of Myanmar. This move has been dubbed "outrageous" by Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The allegations are part of a broader crackdown on minority Muslims in India, with officials using a conflict with Pakistan as a pretext to expand their campaign of oppression.

Key Takeaways:

• The United Nations has called for an investigation into allegations that Indian authorities have rounded up Rohingya refugees and expelled them into the Andaman Sea, with only life jackets, off the coast of Myanmar.
• The move is part of a broader crackdown on minority Muslims in India, with officials using a conflict with Pakistan as a pretext to expand their campaign of oppression.
• Thousands of Muslims, including Rohingya and Bangladeshi people, have been detained in various Indian states, with many being deported back to Myanmar despite having refugee documents.
• The Indian authorities have announced punitive measures against Pakistani citizens, including expulsion, as tensions with Pakistan escalate.
• The People's Union for Civil Liberties, an Indian human rights group, has criticized the move, stating that Rohingya refugees are entitled to due process under existing law.
• Authorities in neighboring Bangladesh have confirmed that India has pushed hundreds of people into its country at unpopulated border areas, with nearly a hundred being expelled into the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

Statistics:

• At least 20,000 Rohingya refugees are living in India, with about 1,000 in Delhi and the rest scattered across the country.
• Thousands of Muslims, including Rohingya and Bangladeshi people, have been detained in various Indian states, with many being deported back to Myanmar.
• India has built a large detention facility in Assam, in the country's northeast, to house these refugees.
• The Indian government has rejected a plea from a lawyer representing the Rohingya in India's supreme court to put a pause on the deportations.

Sources:

• The United Nations (quoted statement from Tom Andrews)
• The People's Union for Civil Liberties (statement criticizing the Indian government's move)
• Authorities in neighboring Bangladesh (confirmation of Indian authorities pushing people into Bangladesh)
• Saif Hasnat and Mujib Mashal (coauthors of the article)