인도정부의 로힝야 난민 추방에 대한 항의서한 전달

인도정부가 인도로 피신한 미얀마 로힝야 난민 7명을 다시 미얀마로 추방하였습니다. 내년 총선을 앞둔 집권 인도국민당(BJP) 정부가 보수적인 힌두민족주의에 기반하여 종교갈등을 이용하고자 하는 이유가 크다고 합니다. 이에 대해 로힝자 시민사회 모임(신대승네트워크도 함께 하고 있습니다)에서 주한국 인도대사관에 항의성명을 발표하고 전달하였습니다. 

관련기사 보기 : http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2018/10/04/0200000000AKR20181004148200077.HTML?from=search

 <항의서한 전문>  

Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan 

Embassy of India

Seoul, Republic of Korea

Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan,

The Korean Civil Society deeply concerned that the Government of India has forcibly deported seven Rohingyas to Myanmar, which constitutes refoulement in violation of the international law and urge India to immediately stop the deportation.

Seven Rohingyas, who came from Kyauk Daw township in central Rakhine state have been detained at the Silchar central prison in Cachar in the State of Assam since 2012 on charges of irregular entry. The Korean Civil Society regrets that the Supreme Court of India rejected the petition challenging the 2017 Order of the Government of India on the grounds it was unconstitutional and requesting not to deport seven Rohingyas. India became the first country in the world to officially deport Rohingyas back to Myanmar, where the genocide is still ongoing.

In situations where thousands of Rohingya civilians are being suffered due to indiscriminate killings, rape and arson by the Myanmar military and about 800,000 Rohingya refugees are still living in the refugee camps as they could not return to their homes, the forced deportation of the seven Rohingyas by the Indian government on the grounds of their illegal immigration should be criticized for humanitarian concerns. It is clear that the seven deported Rohingyas will be suppressed in Myanmar, and approximately 40,000 Rohingya refugees living in India will also have to live in fears. The Indian government should actively cooperate with the international community for their dignified and safe return of those who have been even denied with the right to call themselves as ‘Rohingya’.

As the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance Ms. E. Tendayi Achiume pointed out in a letter to the Government of India on October 2, 2018 that since the Rohingya is the ethnic minority of Myanmar that has been subject to a century long persecution by the authority “this is a flagrant denial of their right to protection and could amount to refoulement” violating the international law. The Korean Civil Society also shares the same that the Government of India has “an international legal obligation to fully acknowledge the institutionalized discrimination, persecution, hate and gross human rights violation these people have faced in their country of origin and provide them the necessary protection.”

It is also concerned that seven Rohingyas have been subject to the prolonged detention which could be considered arbitrary and thus inhuman and degrading in treatment and were denied adequate legal assistance.

The Korean Civil Society reminds the Government of India that it has an international obligation under the international law and norm to provide protection or at least not to infringe the principle of non-refoulement on the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, urging the Government of India to not further violate the international law.

It is disturbing the most that when the international community has sought prosecution of those responsible in the Myanmar government for genocide, India, ‘the world’s largest democracy’ has become the first country to deport members of the world’s most persecuted community back to Myanmar, where they have been systematically tortured, raped, butchered and forcibly evicted.

Once again, The Korean Civil Society condemns the Government of India on the deportation of seven Rohingyas and urges to take appropriate measures to protect the rights of tens of thousand Rohingyas who have been staying in India. And the Korean Civil Society demands the Government of India to join the international community in an endeavour to guarantee voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas along with restoration of citizenship and to seek justice for the Rohingya, the world’s most persecuted minority.

5 October 2018

The Korean Civil Society in Solidarity with Rohingyas