By: Camp Correspondent
May 16, 2025 —
A United Nations human rights expert has issued a strong condemnation of India’s reported forced deportation of Rohingya refugees, calling the act “outrageous” and a blatant violation of international law and human dignity.
In a statement released Thursday, Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, urged an immediate inquiry into the incident, which allegedly involved Indian forces compelling Rohingya refugees to jump into the Andaman Sea, dangerously close to Myanmar’s maritime boundary.
“The idea that Rohingya refugees have been cast into the sea from naval vessels is nothing short of outrageous,” said Andrews.
“This act, if confirmed, reflects a shocking disregard for human life.”
According to credible reports, around 40 Rohingya refugees—some of whom were holding valid UNHCR refugee identification documents—were detained in New Delhi last week. They were allegedly blindfolded, flown to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and placed aboard an Indian naval vessel.
Once near Myanmar’s maritime border, the refugees were reportedly handed life jackets and ordered to jump into the sea, directed toward a nearby island belonging to Myanmar—a country that has systematically persecuted Rohingya Muslims for decades.
There is no confirmed information on the current condition or whereabouts of the individuals, although initial reports suggest they may have survived and were possibly rescued by local groups.
“If these actions are verified, they represent a serious breach of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning refugees to territories where they face persecution,” Andrews added.
In a separate incident, approximately 100 Rohingya refugees were reportedly transferred from a detention center in Assam state to a location near the Bangladesh border, further raising concerns about India’s expanding deportation operations.
Andrews called on the Indian government to halt all deportations, launch a transparent investigation, and hold accountable those responsible for violating international protection norms.
“India must repudiate these acts immediately and recommit to its obligations under international human rights and refugee law,” he stated.
According to Refugees International, as of December 2024, there are an estimated 22,500 registered Rohingya refugees in India, alongside many unregistered individuals. Rights groups have long warned of rising Islamophobia, discriminatory policies, and increasing vulnerability among the Rohingya community in India.
The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have faced decades of apartheid-like restrictions, mass killings, and displacement. Since the 2017 genocide, over one million Rohingya have taken refuge in neighboring Bangladesh—many still living in overcrowded camps with no safe route home.
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