Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

For immediate release 11 September 2024

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) expresses solidarity with Rohingya refugees currently on hunger strike at the Matia Detention Centre in Assam, India. This hunger strike, which began on September 9, 2024, is a direct response to their prolonged and arbitrary detention, and the severe human rights abuses they endure.

“The arbitrary detention of Rohingya refugees in India represents a grave injustice,” said Tun Khin, President of Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK. “These individuals, who have already faced unimaginable atrocities, are subjected to further mistreatment. The Indian government must act immediately to end these unlawful detentions and address the abysmal conditions within detention centers.”

BROUK condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention of Rohingya refugees in India. These survivors of the Burmese military’s genocidal campaign, which forced over 770,000 Rohingya to flee their homeland, are being subjected to harsh and inhumane conditions. This treatment not only violates international human rights standards but also highlights a grave failure to protect the most vulnerable.

The Rohingya refugees in India, including women and children, are being held in detention centers under deplorable conditions. Overcrowding, inadequate nutrition, and unsanitary facilities endanger the health and dignity of detainees. These refugees, who hold valid UNHCR refugee cards, have been unjustly detained for years - some for over a decade - without due process or hope for justice. This situation starkly contrasts with India’s international commitments and undermines its democratic principles.

Since the genocidal attacks launched by the Burmese military in August 2017, the Rohingya have endured extensive suffering and persecution. The situation for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and the 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Burma is well-documented, but the plight of those seeking refuge in other countries, including India, remains critically overlooked. A 2019 UNHCR estimate indicated that over 40,000 Rohingya refugees are in India, with around 22,000 registered with the UN agency. Yet these individuals face severe restrictions and are wrongfully detained under the guise of "illegal immigration."

The continued persecution and detention of Rohingya refugees is a grave human rights violation that demands immediate and decisive action. The global community must come together to address these abuses and uphold the rights of these genocide survivors. The detention of Rohingya refugees not only reflects a deep moral failure but also undermines international human rights standards and obligations.

“If the Indian government doesn’t want refugees from Burma, it should stop arming and funding the Burmese military which creates them,” said Tun Khin.

BROUK calls on the Indian government to release all detained Rohingya refugees without delay. We also urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to enhance its efforts to support these refugees and advocate for their protection. The international community must act swiftly to ensure that the Rohingya refugees are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

For more information, contact Tun Khin at +44 788 871 4866.