Chennai: Around 100 people from Rohingya community who have settled here in Keelambakkam complains about locals mistreating them while living under the threat of deportation.
Mohammed Umair, a 42 year-old-refugee said, “ Some of the local people here mistreats us and say provocative things. But we can’t do anything since this is not our land. But they should understand we are human beings too and on what circumstances we were forced to leave Myanmar.”
The Rohingyas, a minority community in Myanmar fled their country when they were attacked by the security forces there. United Nations (UN) described this attack on Rohingyas as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”. The BBC reported nearly 700,000 Rohingyas have fled the persecution and left their homes to neighbouring countries Bangladesh and India.
Tamim Ahmed who previously lived in refugee camp in Bangaldesh arrived in India in 2015.
He says, “I left my village with my family to Bangladesh when our village was attacked by forces. We settled in Kutapalong refugee camp but I didn’t get any work there. An agent there helped me to come to Chennai who suggested that I will get better oppurtunities here. But things haven’t changed here too. Knowing that I am a Rohingya, nobody gives me a job. After a lot of struggle I somehow manged to work in a food stall.
The Chennai office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ensured to do the best possible things for the betterment of the Rohingyas. They are in touch with the government and some NGO’s to provide them a better life.
Anindita Sahoo, Professor of Humanities at IIT Chennai said, “Today everybody knows what happened with the Rohingyas. Instead of thinking who they are, where from they belong they should be allowed to stay here with all possible facilities at least for the sake of humanity.”
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