INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Rohingya Muslims will be sent to Myanmar after Supreme Court refused to stay deportationNew Delhi: Seven Rohingya Muslims held at a
detention centre in Assam will be handed over to Myanmar after the Supreme Court today refused to stop their deportation, the first such
"We are not inclined to interfere on the decision taken," the top court said, accepting the centre's statement that the Rohingya were
illegal immigrants and Myanmar had accepted them as citizens.The Rohingya are from central Rakhine, from where thousands fled amid violence
against the ethnic minority
They had been held in prison since 2012 for illegal entry into the country
They were bussed to the border yesterday to be deported.The government's top lawyer, Tushar Mehta, told the court that the embassy of
Myanmar was ready to give a certificate of identity to the Rohingya.Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan argued that the government's move was
against the UN charter.Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who took charge as top judge yesterday, asked: "First of all, they have been
recognised as Myanmar citizens
What you have to say"It is wrong, they haven't been recognised, Prashant Bhushan replied, saying it was the responsibility of the court."You
need not remind us what's our responsibility," the Chief Justice shot back, dismissing the petition.New Delhi's move has drawn criticism
from the UN, which said their forcible return violates international law."The Indian Government has an international legal obligation to
fully acknowledge the institutionalised discrimination, persecution, hate and gross human rights violations these people have faced in their
country of origin and provide them the necessary protection," UN Special Rapporteur on racism, Tendayi Achiume, said in a statement.Around
40,000 Rohingya live in India after having fled persecution in Myanmar over the years
Around 16,000 of them are registered with the UN refugee agency.UN officials describe the Myanmar military's action as ethnic cleansing
Myanmar has denied the charge, saying its military launched counter-insurgency operations after attacks on security forces by Rohingya
militants in August last year.The government had last year told the court that Rohingya are a threat to national security, have links with
terror groups and are likely to be used by the ISIS for terror attacks
It had also asked state governments to identify and deport them.
