More Rohingya Muslims enter Hyderabad

Hyderabad: With the Jammu and Kashmir government cracking down on Rohingya Muslims, who have been fleeing from Myanmar’s Rakhine state, are fleeing the State. Over 100 Rohingya Muslims have arrived in Hyderabad city during the last one month, according to sources.

The first batch of Rohingya Muslims came to Hyderabad in 2009 and ever since many had settled down mostly in make-shift tents at Balapur, Pahadishareef, Hafeezbabanagar, Kihanbagh, Hamza Colony, Royal Colony, Jalpally, Shastripuram and Bahadurpura in the Old City.

Recently, the Central government gave a directive that the Rohingya Muslims should be deported. According to a citizen of Balaparu, who identified himself as Ali, a large group of Rohingya Muslims had entered the city in the last one month and their number could easily be hundred plus.

Many families are entering into Hyderabad under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) supervision. UNHCR runs a refugee facilitation centre in Hyderabad with Confederation of Voluntary Organisations (COVA). When asked, Mazhar Hussain, director, COVA said, “I have no idea about the new influx. People who do not possess the UNHCR cards cannot be treated as refugees.” There are about 4,000 Rohingya Muslims in the city.

In the last six months there have been four cases where Rohingyas were caught trying to obtain voter identity cards. The law does not permit people from Myanmar even if they have refugee cards to have voter ID card or ration card. They are not entitled to even have a mobile phone connection.