Today one of the most traumatized and wronged people on earth are the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar. They are a very small minority of about eight lakh people, in a large population of about five crore, in which Buddhists are the pre-dominant majority with 89 percent share. Buddhism is regarded as a religion of non-violence and peace. It is highly unfortunate that the so-called peace loving Buddhist of Myanmar perpetrated unthinkable atrocities against their fellow citizens for a prolonged period and killed, raped and devastated their fellow citizens and finally threw them out. Even the Nobel Peace Prize winning human rights activist Aung San SuuKyi, who successfully fought military regime of her country and succeeded in resorting democracy, failed to speak against this violence and ethnic cleansing.
These hapless people who fled their original country took refuge in Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and some other countries.
About 40,000 Myanmar refugees including 16,500 who have been issued refugee certificates by United Nation High Commission for Refugees have taken refuge in different parts of India. Every Indian will agree that these stateless persons deserve our sympathy and help. It is not a big thing to accommodate these people but our government has decided to throw them out either before wolves of Myanmar or dump them in the sea. Our Minster of State for Home KirenRijiju announced on the floor of our Parliament that these refugees would be deported from India. The hallowed corridors of our Parliament are echoing with the shrieks of these victims since this ominous announcement was made.
Strange that such a great country of 130 crore people cannot accommodate just a few thousand refugees. Most unfortunate! It is said that eyes do not become blind but hearts do. And some hearts exceed in hardness to stones.
United Nations Organisation, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have expressed their strong resentment on Indian decision. Our external affairs ministry has asked the state governments to identify and deport these refugees as they would be a burden on the limited resources of the country. Have we banished sympathy from our hearts and want to show to the world how callous and cruel we are.
Let us hope that the people who are at the helm of affairs of our “ancient”, “powerful” and “great” country will review their decision and desist from their unjust and inhuman decision.