Indian Navy Accused of Forcing Rohingya Refugees into Sea: UN Expert Condemns "Unconscionable" Act
UN Special Rapporteur Demands Accountability After Reports of Rohingya Refugees Abandoned in Andaman Sea
Myanmar, PUREWILAYAH.COM - A United Nations expert has strongly condemned the Indian Navy for allegedly forcing Rohingya refugees into the sea and instructing them to swim back to Myanmar, calling the reported actions "unconscionable" and a violation of international law.
Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, announced on Thursday that he is investigating credible reports that Indian naval forces abandoned Rohingya refugees in the Andaman Sea. According to Andrews, Indian authorities recently rounded up several Rohingya refugees in New Delhi, transported them to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and then transferred them onto a naval vessel. Once at sea, the refugees were reportedly given life jackets and forced to swim to an island in Myanmar.
Andrews expressed deep concern over what he described as a blatant disregard for the lives and safety of people in need of international protection. He called the alleged actions "nothing short of outrageous" and urged the Indian government to provide a full account of what happened. He also implored India to immediately halt all deportations of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and to hold those responsible for any violations accountable.
The UN expert emphasized that such actions would constitute a serious breach of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning refugees to places where they face threats to their life or freedom. He highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, including violence, persecution, and grave human rights abuses.
The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group from Myanmar's Rakhine State, have faced decades of persecution, culminating in a brutal military crackdown in 2017 that the UN has described as a genocidal campaign. Since then, nearly a million Rohingya have fled to neighboring countries, with most living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.
Andrews called on the Indian government to repudiate any such "unconscionable acts" and to uphold its international obligations to protect refugees. (PW)
Source: Press TV.