Indian Police Arrest 74 Rohingya Refugees

Facts

• Police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested 74 Rohingya refugees on charges of "crossing the border illegally," according to a statement from police.¹
• The police detained the Rohingya living in six municipalities in the state. The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative claims those detained have been living in India for around 10 years, with around 18-40K [per accounts from multiple outlets] Rohingya Muslims believed to be living in India after fleeing violence in Myanmar.²
• According to Uttar Pradesh's Anti-Terrorist Squad, the detainees are comprised of 55 men, 14 women, and five minors. The arrests are reportedly part of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s wider crackdown on those living in the state who are undocumented.³
• India is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, which outlines obligations to protect refugees. Activists have urged the government to provide asylum and protection to the Rohingya, who are fleeing what the United Nations has called a "genocidal intent" of persecution in Myanmar.¹
• Last week, police were reported to have fired tear gas into a Rohingya detention center in Jammu & Kashmir, which holds 270 detainees. Police were attempting to quell an escape attempt, with activists saying the tear gas was responsible for the death of a five-month-old Rohingya baby.⁴
• In a 2017 letter, India's Home Affairs Ministry termed the Rohingya exodus an "infiltration" that strained government resources and posed security challenges — ordering all states to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees.⁵

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Reuters, ³The Indian Express (a), ⁴Guardian, and ⁵The Indian Express (b).

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Middle East Eye. Violence and persecution of the Rohingya in India are being fueled by the right-wing nationalist policies of the Modi government, which have painted Muslims as a threat to Indian society. The government's callousness is a sad chapter in the history of Rohingya persecution, as national security is used as an excuse to mistreat Muslim refugees. India needs legislation governing the treatment of refugees, something it lacks, and must start treating Rohingya Muslims with dignity.
• Narrative B, as provided by The Sunday Guardian. India has long been a haven for tens of millions of refugees, but the strain they are putting on national resources has forced the government to take a pragmatic approach towards illegal immigration and refugee claimants. Many of these Rohingya are also at risk of recruitment by extremist groups and have been involved in religious violence. India will do what it can to protect refugees but has every right to put its national interests first. India cannot bear the Rohingya crisis alone.