UNHCR Delegation Engages with Rohingya Community in Jammu

Jammu, Dec 11 (NationPress) Officials indicated on Wednesday that a two-member delegation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) engaged with the Rohingya community illegally residing in J&K's Jammu city.

"A two-member UNHCR team interacted with Rohingya Muslims at a slum area on Monday," officials mentioned.

This meeting was held following a contentious debate regarding the provision of essential services such as water and electricity to these undocumented residents.

Senior Protection Officer Tomoko Fukumura and Protection Associate Ragini Trakroo Zutshi visited the Rohingya Muslims and several local inhabitants in the Kiryani Talab region of Narwal in Jammu City on Monday.

The team leader stated they would head back to Delhi on Wednesday evening after their attempt to meet with police officials was unsuccessful.

On December 7, Jammu and Kashmir Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana announced that the water supply to the slums where the immigrants reside would not be interrupted until a directive from the Centre regarding their deportation is received.

Rana’s comments followed claims from Rohingyas residing on three plots in the Narwal area that their electricity and water supply had been cut off recently, despite being registered with the UNHCR.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserted that the Centre must determine the future of the Rohingya population in Jammu, emphasizing that they cannot be allowed to suffer from starvation or exposure to the cold.

"This is a humanitarian concern. The central government needs to make a decision regarding them. If they are to be repatriated, that should be done. If not, we cannot allow them to perish. They cannot be permitted to freeze to death. The Government of India must inform us of our obligations towards them. As long as they remain here, we have a responsibility to care for them," the CM stated.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah remarked on Tuesday that the Government of India facilitated the arrival of the Rohingyas in J&K, and it is the local government's responsibility to ensure they receive essential services.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, has called for a CBI investigation into the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Jammu, alleging it to be a political maneuver.

The BJP has also questioned the J&K government's sympathy towards these settlers, claiming that had the settlers been of a different faith, the response from the J&K government would have been vastly different.

Official records indicate that approximately 14,000 Rohingyas are currently residing illegally in Jammu city.