One of the greatest problems the world is besieged with in the current times is the refugee crisis across different parts of the globe, emanating out of man’s recklessness in imposing his dominion over others, dictated through indoctrinated mind and in the sad outcome putting innocent people to unforeseen torments for no fault of theirs.
For the moment let us focus on the Rohingya Muslim catastrophe, wherein this community which is an ethnic minority in Myanmar is considered a terrorist outfit in the land where they had settled for ages and forced to flee wherever feasible in the wake of the atrocities committed by the Myanmar military, and as they have sought refuge in the neighbouring countries they are being posed as threat to the internal security, for instance by our own country.
Let us ask one question – When men and even children of this despised lot are killed with their throats simply slit and women raped and burnt alive, what alternative is left with them than to flee across the border? Admittedly, there have been terrorist elements among the lot and their militant encounter with the Myanmar forces triggered the fresh revolt, but then can all the Rohingyas, particularly the women and children and even majority of the men folk be labeled as terrorists?
The Syrian refugee crisis is not of ancient times but commenced only a few years ago and we still remember the picture that appeared in some newspapers of a dead toddler lying on the banks of the sea, that invoked wide protests the world over and many western countries opened the doors for the refugees. And remember Syria was inundated with the worst militancy flagged by the rising ISIS wave! But it didn’t force the countries to backtrack; rather they embraced the embattled refugees. That is what we call the human touch!
There is a reason why the UN is sore with India for closing the doors to Rohingya refugees and for envisaging their deportation. No one expects the refugees to be housed permanently and the UN is putting pressure on Myanmar to take back the refugees.
Meanwhile as the apex court is seeking government’s response to the petitions filed before it on the said issue, it is being argued that it is not the prerogative of the judiciary to deal with the Rohingya issue but that should be left to the executive to handle.
