By Sharique Usman
The Rohingya Muslims who escaped the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar are living forsaken life as refugees in different host countries as rather unwanted guests. Forced to live their homeland, around one lakh such Rohingyas sought refuge in different south Asian countries, including India. From Jammu to Delhi to Hyderabad their life is a story of hardship, struggles and pain.
In south Delhi, a newly developed slum (in making ) named as Sharam Vihar near Shaheen Bagh and Jasola has given shelter to 60 such Rohingya Muslim families who travelled 3,000 km in order to survive the wrath of Buddhists in the Arakan region of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Sharam Vihar constitutes 300 families mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bangal who also came here for the long battle of survival; but as this slum constitutes majority of Muslims so they accommodated these refugees who are not easily accepted in other parts of Delhi.
These refugees do not really have anything for a living and are often dependent on the poor neighbourhood for the basics at home. Even the shanties they live are often made of nothing more than cartons of electronics like refrigerators or washing machines, and plastic sheets the collected from nearby homes.
They have witnessed the International Human Rights Day twice since they came to Delhi, but are still unable to understand the meaning of human rights. With all the hardships, they still find solace in the fact that here they can practice their faith freely after years of persecution in Myanmar and have a small mosque in the locality that has become an important uniting factor of identity.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued ‘refugee’ identity cards to them that protect them from falling preys to indiscriminate arrests and harassments by the police by labeling them “illegal Bangladeshi”. The Government of India, which is not a party to the 1951 refugee convention, has nevertheless let them live in the country but extended little help to them while the current Delhi government which claims to be the champions of common men and fights for the rights of the slum dwellers too are silent.
As the winter chill intensified in Delhi and we switched on our heaters, some students of Jamia Millia Islamia got together to help these refugees. They raised around one lakh rupees to buy blankets, bed rolls, shawls, rice, potatoes, etc. and distributed among them.
(Sharique Usman is a PhD candidate at the Social Work Department of Jamia Millia Islamia and can be contacted at [email protected])
Those who wish to help Rohingya refugees can transfer the money at the below mentioned details:
Bank Name: State Bank of India
Branch Name: New Friends Colony, New Delhi
Account Holder’s Name: Sharique Usman
Account Number: 31745675841
IFSC Code – SBIN0006069