Under NIA scanner, PFI seeks to help Rohingya refugees

Indrajit Kundu
New Delhi February 28, 2018

Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI), which is under the National Investigation Agencys (NIA) scanner for its alleged terror links, is willing to provide aid to the only refugee camp for Rohingyas in the country. Last September, the NIA had recommended banning the PFI.

From 29 refugees a month ago, the strength of the camp, located at Harda village, under South 24 Parganas (West Bengal), has risen to 100. Hossain Gazi, whose NGO Desh Bachao Samajik Committee runs the camp, told India Today, We have already met PFI members thrice. Once they came to meet us and twice we attended their meetings. The PFI told Gazi that it will provide aid to the camp if the government refuses to help. West Bengal PFI leaders recently promised us help, Gazi said.

Though the Centre has instructed state governments to deport Rohingyas, Gazi hopes that the Mamata Banerjee government will arrange Voter ID/Aadhaar cards for the refugees so that they can avail government facilities and live properly. We need Aadhaar cards and Voter ID cards because it is very important for the childrens education and admission to schools.

Previously, there were only four families in the camp. Now, there are 25 families out of which 35 refugees are children. We have not received any help from the government, but the Chief Minister has said that Rohingyas are her brothers and she will surely help them, Gazi said adding that the refugees are fighting for survival as they do not have proper identity documents.

India Today had conducted a sting operation in which PFI members were caught speaking about religious conversion. Last August, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had sent an advisory to all states to identify and deport foreign nationals staying illegally in the country as they not only infringe on the rights of Indian citizens, but some also pose grave security challenges.

Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants from the Rakhine state, also known as Rohingyas, is a continuous process. There, it is essential to identify such illegal migrants/persons and also keep a watch on their activities for preventing any untoward incident that can take place, the advisory stated seeking prompt action from every state police.

While the MHA directive calls for close monitoring of activities of such migrants, villagers said that several male refugees have begun venturing out of the area looking for jobs. Some have even visited Kolkata and work as daily wage labourers. West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh slammed Mamata for allowing the refugees to stay for political benefits, which has harmed the political and religious environment of the state. They should go back to their country. The Central government is talking to Bangladesh and Burma, he added.

Some of the refugees who arrived via Bangladesh and have only UNHCR refugee cards do not wish to go back to Myanmar. Three months have passed since I arrived. The only document which I have is the UNHCR refugee card, but I cant use it to find jobs. Even the police refuse to accept the cards when they arrest us, said Abdus Sukur, who crossed the sea, reached Bangladesh and finally entered West Bengal via the Sathkira border area. Sukur, who fled Myanmar because of excessive torture, is now scared. The police ask us to return to Myanmar.

Another refugee Sirazul Islam, who had fled Myanmar six months ago, doesnt even have the refugee card. I am unable to provide the basic necessities to my children because I am jobless.

Like Sukur, Islam is scared and fears for life if he returns to Myanmar. I was asked to go back to my country. We may be killed if we go back. I want to earn my livelihood here. We should be provided Voter ID card and Indian citizenship. Islam, who has tuberculosis, said that he cannot go to a hospital due to lack of documents.

Reference

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