Rohingyas in India fearful of repatriated immigrants' future

The Rohingyas living in India are unsure of the future of the seven immigrants who on Thursday were repatriated to Myanmar.

Expressing deep concern over the return, Mamtaz Ul Haq, a Rohingya refugee living in Jammu told ANI, "There is no guarantee if those people will even survive."

Majority of the Rohingyas living in India claimed that they were forced to leave Myanmar as they were subjected to extreme torture by the government there including killing, burning villages, raping women and girls and so on.

"Nobody wants to leave one's own village, one's own country but everybody knows we were forced to leave Myanmar. The government there was extremely cruel towards us. The women folk and even the children were not spared," said Shabir Ahmad, a refugee, who has been living in India for past two-and-a-half years.

He further said they have built up an emotional connect with India and its public "for giving us so much love. We are extremely thankful to them."

The Rohingya refugees in India are now worried that since the Indian government has set in motion the repatriation plan, it puts a question mark on their future.

They said that they are, however, willing to go back provided the conditions there are conducive.

"Now, if you want us to leave India and go back to Myanmar, we are ready to go. But, what happens if we are again get beaten up and tortured like we were earlier?" asked Ahmad.

Supplementing Ahmad's views, another refugee Nizamul Haq said: "The condition there (in Myanmar) is just not good. If the Indian government asks us to go, we will go. I am sure they will ensure that the condition there is stable."

However, apprehensive of what awaits, Haq said: "If we won't be accepted there, it is better that we are killed here only."

He was clear about one thing that if some Rohingyas are into illegal activities then law should take its own course. But because of such people, others should not suffer. He added: "If some Rohingyas are found indulging in illegal activities, they should definitely be punished but due to the fault of those one or two persons, others should not be made to suffer.