UN: There are about 18,000 Rohingya Refugees & Asylum-Seekers in different parts of India

October 8,2018:

According to an UN Official,"There are about 18,000 Rohingya Refugees and Asylum-seekers, living in the different locations, who have registered with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office in India".

Speaking on recent deportation of seven ethnic Rohingya Muslims to Mayanmar, Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for UNHCR told mediapersons at UN Office at Geneva.

He added that,"We continue to seek clarification from the authorities on the circumstances under which these individuals were returned to Myanmar."

UNHCR issues the identity cards to registered refugees and documents to asylum-seekers, which helps them prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation.

UNHCR works with State Legal Services, Authorities and a network of partners to provide the legal support to persons of concern in detention in India.

Deportation of Rohingya refugees took place as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting India last week.

Prior to their return, men were moved from Silchar Prison in Assam province, near border with Bangladesh where they had been in detention since 2012 to State of Manipur, bordering Myanmar.

Andrej Mahecic added that,"On learning of their detention and the planned return, and based on credible reports that the seven men are Rohingya, UNHCR requested the Indian authorities to grant access to this group, to assess their need for international refugee protection".

Source The New Indian Express