B.RAMAN
Humanitarian laws make no distinction on grounds of
religion and ethnicity. Nor do they make any distinction between legal and
illegal residents. Even a dangerous criminal, including terrorist suspects, are
entitled to food and medical assistance when they are in the custody of the
police.
2. Under international laws, every State has a
right to prevent illegal migration through legitimate means. It can fence the
border, deploy the army and empower the army to shoot at individuals seeking to
cross the border illegally. If despite these measures some people manage to
cross the border illegally, the State has a right to arrest and deport them in
accordance with the due process of the law.
3. However, so long as those illegals are in our
territory, the State cannot escape the responsibility for protecting them from
acts of violence and extending to them food and medical assistance under the
international humanitarian laws.
4.There are disturbing reports of the
non-observance of humanitarian obligations not only by the Governments of
Myanmar and Bangladesh, but also by the Government of Assam in India in respect
of the Muslims, perceived as illegal entrants, who have been affected by recent
incidents of anti-Muslim violence in this area.
5.The Rohingya Muslims affected by the recent
clashes between the Buddhists and the Rohingya
Muslims in the Rakhine State of Myanmar have been complaining that they have
been denied humanitarian assistance by the Myanmar Government and Army on the
ground that they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Some Western Governments
such as that of France have urged the Myanmar Government to attend to the
humanitarian plight of the Rohingyas.
6. The Bangladesh Government has not only refused
to extend any humanitarian assistance to new entrants fleeing the violence in
the Rakhine State, but has even ordered the suspension of humanitarian
assistance to Rohingyas who had crossed over in the 1990s and are living in
camps as registered refugees. Since the last week of July, it has ordered two
French and one British humanitarian organisations to suspend the supply of
humanitarian assistance to past entrants from Myanmar due to a fear that this
could induce more Rohingyas to re-enter
Bangladesh from Myanmar. The US Government and the UN High Commission for
Refugees, Geneva, have expressed concern over this and urged the Bangladesh
Government to reverse the suspension.
7. The recent incidents of violence in the
Kokrajhar and adjoining Bodo areas of Assam have led to a large number of Muslim
victims of the incidents taking shelter in relief camps set up by the
authorities. There is a disturbing impression that the local authorities are
seeking to make a distinction between Muslim victims who are our citizens and
victims who are illegals who had come to Indian territory from Bangladesh. If
true, such a distinction will be unwise, counterproductive and unsustainable
under international humanitarian laws.
8. India has always had an exemplary record in
observing humanitarian laws and in meeting humanitarian obligations. We have
legitimate fears regarding possible threats to our national security and
integrity due to the presence of a large number of Bangladeshi illegals in our
territory. We have every right to deal with them in accordance with the law.
Till we are able to do so, we should not derogate from our humanitarian
obligations to those in our territory by making an unsustainable distinction in
the distribution of humanitarian relief.
9. Impressions among the Muslim victims of violence
in this region that the States and Governments concerned have been following a
policy of discrimination against the Muslim victims in the matter of
humanitarian relief could drive some of them into the hands of the Islamic
fundamentalist and other extremist organisations active in the affected areas.(
9-8-12)
( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate, Chennai Centre For China
Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com . Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )
2 comments:
A very timely warning to the Governments of Bangladesh,Burma and our own Assam.It is such insensitivity to humans that terrorism looks up to gain a foothold.
Even otherwise, what have we fought and gained after the sacrifices for independence if we dont behave humanely?
It is amazing how a struggle between Muslims and non-muslims gets the immediate attention from Muslim countries. I must admit that their dedication to each other is note-worthy. There is immediate pressure on Myanmar from every corner of the Muslim world, irrespective of the fact that Bangladeshi Muslims are the root cause of this problem.
Agreed that humanitarian concerns of the Muslim refugees must be addressed, even if they are illegal entrants. But no one in the world is showing any solidarity with Indian Bodos or Myanmar Buddhists. WHY?
I suggest creating an Organization of Eastern Religion Countries. This would include India, Nepal, Eastern countries where dharmic religions are practiced - Even China and Japan. We must show solidarity with each other in times of religious crises. If Turkish PM can visit Myanmar, so should the Japanese PM or Vietnamese leader or Indian PM.
If Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) is possible, why not Organization of Eastern Religion Countries (OERC)??
Alas, we are held back by pseudosecularism, apathy and ignorance!
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