23 more Rohingya to be deported soon

Mukesh Ranjan 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 12

After deporting seven Rohingya for the first time earlier this month, the Centre is now working with the Assam Government on the specifics to deport another batch of 23 such illegal migrants to their home country Myanmar.

According to sources in the Ministry of Home Affair (MHA), these 23 identified and verified Rohingya are currently languishing in three different detention camps at Silchar, Goalpara and Tezpur in Assam. 

Noting that the Assam Police have already completed the verification of nationality of the persons in the detention camps, the MHA sources said, they have also given their consent for their deportation to their country.

As the police have shared the list of the identified Rohingya, who will be deported, sources said, the MHA with the help of Ministry of External Affairs has established contact with the authorities in Myanmar to verify and confirm their home addresses. “Once that is established, we will request the Myanmar government to take them back and ensure their safety,” an official in the know of the development said. Sources also said once everything is finalised and dates are decided, these Rohingya Muslims will be deported in phased manner. The nodal agency in Myanmar is cooperating well with the Indian officials, they added.

Meanwhile, sources in the Intelligence agencies, however, recently alerted the authorities in the Central government that the border guarding forces in Assam and other frontier states of North East should be put on “high alert” as exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar continues unabated. According to an estimate, around 40,000 Rohingya are now living illegally in India.