Rohingyas face uncertain future in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Mohammad Junaid came with his mother to Tamil Nadu from Myanmar eight years ago. He left behind a piece of land, a home and his father's shop. After he arrived at the Rohingya shelter in Kelambakkam, he began working for daily wages at a meat shop, and then as a scrap dealer. But a couple of years later, a government official visited the camp, took their biometrics, and issued them Aadhaar cards. With this document in hand, Junaid finally found a salaried job at a garment factory at Pudupakkam White House, which gave him benefits and a provident fund.Today, that life is a distant dream. Junaid is back to collecting scrap, his PF money is still with the company, his Aadhaar card has been deactivated, and his bank account closed. Eight months ago, the local superintendent of police came by the shelter, and took away the Aadhaar cards of close to 12 families, along with other documentation such as their IDs from Myanmar. "He told us it was prohibited for our community to have Aadhaar cards and that we would be imprisoned," says Mohammad Yusuf, a father of three and spokesperson of sorts for the community. Every time the Indian government tightens restrictions on the community, and news of possible deportation comes to light, Yusuf is at the forefront, talking about their issues and appealing to UNHCR to safeguard their rights. But, there's nothing he has been able to do about their Aadhaar cards being taken away. While UNHCR has intervened and gained some leniency from district officials, they can be pulled up anytime and this makes their future uncertain. "A salaried job without an Aadhaar card isn't possible. Neither is having an active bank account," says Junaid, now 19.The Aadhaar Act states that any individual who has resided in India for at least 182 days in the year immediately preceding the date of application is eligible for Aadhaar. The UIDAI has also clarified that foreigners fulfilling the above requirement can obtain an Aadhaar, subject to the submission of the prescribed documents. But many community members fear being wrongly persecuted as illegal immigrants."This seems to be a pan-Indian issue with regard to the Rohingyas. The government seems to be of the view that these people are here temporarily, and this period is not defined clearly," says Satchidananda Valan, Associate Repatriation Officer, UNHCR Chennai. "While the Rohingyas in Tamil Nadu live better than those elsewhere in the country, the community in general is perceived as a potential security threat, and this affects the benefits available to them," says Valan.When asked, the SI at the Kelambakkam police station told TOI he was unaware of the issue and Chengalpet collector Rahul Nadh remained unavailable to talk.