Rohingya deportation move: Activists cite govt shelter to Lankan & Tibetan refugees

HYDERABAD: As the cry against the Centre's plan to deport thousands of Rohingya Muslims in the country grows shriller, human rights activists are now drawing attention to the country helping refugees from other countries.They are now demanding that Rohingyas be rehabilitated, much like Sri Lankan Tamil and Tibetan refugees.

The demand stems from the Centre's reply to a right to information (

RTI

) query on refugees from different countries and the government's plans for their rehabilitation.Data provided shows that the Centre is supporting Sri Lan kan Tamil as well as Tibetan refugees .

In its reply, the ministry of home affairs said that its Rehabilitation Wing of the Freedom Fighter Division has been providing relief to refugees from these two countries. But while it did not provide the number of Tibetan refugees, the ministry did furnish data on the number of Sri Lankan refugees.

“As per the information available on 1.1.2016, there are 1,01,027 Sri Lankan Tamil re fugees staying in the country .No information is available in this division in respect to Tibetan refugees (sic),“ an excerpt from the reply reads.

City-based activist,

Sarah Sheela

, pointed out that India has always been a safe haven for communities that have been persecuted in other countries. She said that keeping this tradition in mind, the Centre should not turn its back on the Rohingyas.“It is important the government adopts a humane approach.There is a crisis in

Myanmar

, which ironically has a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. It is important to intervene and provide relief,“ she said.

As it turns out, the Centre does provide relief to these two communities. Information obtained under the same RTI query shows that the government of India has also provided financial assistance to refugees residing in camps.

“The are provided with accommodation, electricity, drinking water, toilet facilities etc, free of cost. In addition, other facilities such as monthly cash assistance, free clothing materials, utensils, subsidised (ration is also provided),“ reads another excerpt from the Centre's reply .

With regards to financial assistance to Tibetans, the reply states the Centre allotted `8 crore to the Tibetan Relief Committee. It further states it has been done so `to meet the administrative and social welfare activities expenses of settlement offices of the refugees '. Activist S Q

Masood

, who filed the RTI query , said he wanted to understand Centre's refugee policy . “The decision to deport refugees is appalling,“ he said.