Altaf Shah
“Rohingyas are illegal immigrants” roared the Indian Home Minister, most probably from his posh air-conditioned room or hall and all the people present, reciprocated with an applause. Seeing this, the home minister must have felt a great sense of achievement but probably what he did not see was the huge exodus of poor men, women and children running for their lives or trying to cross streams in overloaded boats just to be alive. What the home minister did not see were the refugee camps, which are covered with feces, with dead rats floating just meters away the stay area or the people who are trying to protect whatever little they have from the heavy rains.
The easiest claim for any international community would be that, it is their internal issue and they can sought it out, but India has always been the elder brother in this part of the region, it is our duty to intervene as we have a history and helped all during crisis. We are giving millions in aid to Myanmar, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Nepal and many other countries. Inspite of the media showing that India and Pakistan are worst enemies, India has always been there for any kind of humanitarian aid to Pakistan in-case of any natural calamity, which was evident in the recent earthquake in Pakistan, India was also instrumental in helping Sri lanka fight the latter.
There are numerous instances where India has acted like an elder brother and hence commanded respect in the entire world and this is only because of the spiritual nature we posses we have mastered the art of accommodating people as they are. We have believed in the fact that it is humanity first.
Our Prime Minister met the head of the state of Myanmar and they discussed on how they should control extremist violence in the state of Rakhine, who is committing violence, who are running away, who are the affected, who is terrorising the poor, the women and the children are also not spared and at the end, the perpetrators of violence are the victims.
Yes they are illegal immigrants but they are humans first and if we feel we cannot accommodate them at least we take a firm step and tell the tiny state of Myanmar, brother we are watching and this is injustice to the citizens of your country.
