KATHMANDU: Lahore resident Nawid Ahmad, 42, fled to Nepal for safety and a new life but the country's policy on refugees has left him among hundreds trapped, jobless and mired in debt. It is the principle enshrined in Article 33 (1) of the Refugee Convention which says, ‘No Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality membership of a particular social group or political opinion.’. Khabarhub had a conversation with Dr Islam on Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees, who are currently languishing in several countries, including Bangladesh and Nepal. The atrocities committed against the Rohingya in Myanmar are very well known as is the fact that, as a consequence of their persecution in Myanmar, they have been compelled to flee to neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh. “Bangladesh wants to send us back to Myanmar. 14 No. Out of Nepal’s total 37,000 refugees, some 120 are Burmese, of whom 70% are Rohingya, according to the local U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) office. 282 Million to Nepal Tackle COVID-19 Surge, Nepal Airlines Flight Ferrying Oxygen Cylinders, Ventilators Arrives, Prohibitory Order Imposed In Rasuwa For A Week, India’s Daily COVID-19 Cases Fall Below 300,000. This principle would be applicable in the case of Nepal and the Rohingya as well. They are living in temporary sheds on private land at Kapan in Kathmandu and are provided food by the UN Commission for Refugees. In the case of Nepal, due to persecutions done by the Burmese government against the Rohingyas since early 1784, they have been moved into Nepal by crossing the borders. The refugees said that a Nepali man helped them to enter Nepal. 17, May 09, 2021 (Baisakh 26, 2078) Publisher: Keshab Prasad Poudel Online Register Number: DOI 584/074-75, VOL. Although Nepal has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, it has ratified other human rights treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is subject to international customary laws. LWF World Service, provides humanitarian and development aid to Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, and in Cox Bazaar, the Rohingya refugee … © 2017 New Spotlight Nepal. 14, March 12, 2021 (Falgun 28, 2077) Publisher: Keshab Prasad Poudel Online Register Number: DOI 584/074-75. Hassan Hassan, 26, wearing a red shirt, said he has been granted refugee status but his future is still uncertain. That is why they can stay here until they do not breach any law,” he added. Nepal is the only country where we feel safe,” Rohingyas refugees told to daily. According to refugees, to reach Nepal via India, they had paid money to middlemen to sneak into India and then to Nepal. However, this principle is now more than just a mere provision provided by the convention. The Indian government is in motion to deport all the Rohingya from India, and Bangladesh has already closed its border to these refugees. 14 No. Nepal was already home to around 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers in December 2013. At the same time, however, an increase in the influx of Rohingya refugees would also pose a serious threat to Nepal’s sovereignty and further burden the government. Four years ago, five Rohingya refugees illegally obtained Nepalese passports from the Morang district and entered Saudi Arabia. As is known, most of the refugees in Nepal are among the poorest people in the country. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Rohingyas entered Nepal in the 1990s and mainly in 2012. In 2012, the first Rohingya Muslim entered Nepal from India. Bangladeshi security personnel attend to emaciated Rohingya refugees following their arrival by boat in Teknaf on April 16, after nearly two months at … Forcefully deporting all Rohingya refugees would be a violation of this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nevertheless, Nepal cannot economically support the Rohingyas … Coronavirus in Cox's Bazar. Currently there are four such camps in Kathmandu, housing Rohingyas who started arriving in Nepal after 2012 in waves, after every fresh military crackdown. Hassan said he was the first Rohingya asylum seeker to be granted refugee status by the U.N. agency in Nepal. But how long can they continue to live like this? The reason why the Rohingya are entering Nepal may be because the living conditions for them in Nepal are far better than in India or other nearby states. Thailand should permit the UN refugee agency to screen all Rohingya arriving in Thailand to identify and assist those seeking refugee status.” ... Nepal: Act to Avert Looming Covid-19 Disaster. Photo: Reuters A small number of Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar's military crackdown have managed to reach Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. Employment opportunities in the evolving challenges in the makeshifts where refugees are living. Nepal is not a signatory to either the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or the 1967 Protocol; it also does not have separate domestic refugee legislation, yet it continues to hold a large number of refugees. One of the Rohingya camps in Kapan. Please include your name, location, and a contact address so one of our editors can reach out to you. Although there is no official documentation, the Rohingyas, a migrant community living as refugees in Nepal, are residing in rented spaces in three locations on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. 16, April 16, 2021 (Baisakh 03, 2078) Publisher: Keshab Prasad Poudel Online Register Number: DOI 584/074-75, VOL. Burma’s persecuted Rohingya Muslim refugees have been taking flimsy boats across the Bay of Bengal to the coasts of Thailand and Malaysia since 2012, but a few have ventured north in a perilous overland journey through Bangladesh and India to enter Nepal.. Nepal would then seem a naturally better choice for these refugees to settle in. Hundreds of Rohingya’s entered Nepal through India, currently, 400 refugees found shelter in Kathmandu’s Kapan area. In a border security update, India and Nepal have decided to keep a serious watch on the movement of Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees in the Indo-Nepal border area. Daily infection count hovers around 9,000 mark but deaths could continue to rise, An oath of office when people are gasping for breath as well as answers, How the raging coronavirus pandemic is tearing families apart, Pandemic further pushes already 14-month long academic session. In 2012, in India, fear spread among right-wing politicians on account of the Bengali migrants in Assam, and Pakistan was planning to revoke the refugee status of all Afghans living within its borders. The Rohingya issue has been a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, navigated by the civil-military administration of Myanmar. Nepal does not recognize Rohingya as refugees on the grounds that it is not a signatory to a 1951 United Nations convention on refugees. The country does not recognize the Rohingya community as refugees but as illegal immigrants. Forcefully deporting all Rohingya refugees would be a violation of this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Although there is no official documentation, the Rohingyas, a migrant community living as refugees in Nepal, are residing in rented spaces in three locations on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal has a long tradition of providing asylum to refugees. Even, there is the likelihood of increasing happening of such incidences and aggravating the local social and cultural harmony among the local citizens and the Rohingya refugees. The Rohingyas are an ethnic minority group in Myanmar who have, due to persecution, crossed into the neighbouring Bangladesh over decades, laying uneven pressure on the scarce resources of the country. Rohingya refugees are seriously at risk of human trafficking. This essentially means that the Rohingya have a right to seek asylum in Nepal, although it is not necessary that they must be granted refugee status. While … Article 14 (1) of the declaration states that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries. Technically, they are 'illegal migrants' but Nepali authorities are aware of their presence in Nepal as well as their recent history of persecution in Myanmar. As a result, the Rohingya and other urban refugees, whose number in Nepal -- according to UNHCR -- is over 500, are at the mercy of the UN body, which cut the $40 monthly allowance in 2015 citing lack of funds. these refugee influxes and regulating repatriations. More than 700,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya have escaped Buddhist-majority Myanmar since … In this scenario, Nepal’s best bet would be willing states in the West. “We don’t have any laws related to refugees. According to UN reports, Myanmar’s military burnt houses, killed and gang-raped Muslim minorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state during this terrifying episode. This essentially means that the Rohingya have a right to seek asylum in Nepal, although it is not necessary that they must be granted refugee status. Find out what the Rohingya refugee crisis is about, who the Rohingya people are, and how ActionAid is helping refugee women and girls. Excerpts of the interview: Bangladesh is hosting over one million Rohingya refugees. Rohingya refugees in Nepal are mostly registered by the UNHCR, but they are not legally allowed to work with the card provided by the UN Refugee Agency, as the country does not recognize Rohingya as refugees on the grounds that it is not a signatory to a 1951 United Nations convention on refugees, nor is it party to the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. It has now solidified into a general human rights requirement both at the universal and regional level, is read as protection covering all individuals who have left their homeland because of a substantial fear of persecution for reasons specified by the 1951 Geneva Convention in addition to those that would face inhumane treatment after repatriation. India treats us like terrorists. Joint secretary Sharma said that the Rohingyas were allowed to stay in Nepal on humanitarian grounds. Any further influx of these refugees would pose a serious threat to the country’s sovereignty, but the country should still protect the ones that are already here. After the number grows, currently 12 persons from three families have been living in Lasuntar of Kapan in Kathmandu. Our work in the country includes finding long-term solutions for refugees, such as assisting efforts to increase their self-reliance through greater access to livelihood opportunities, health and education. Nepal cracked down and implemented a strict policy regarding Tibetan refugees, in response to Chinese pressure and Beijing’s not unsubstantial monetary contributions. 14 No. Rohingyas constitute the latest refugee community in Nepal. The Principle of Non-Refoulement, a principle of customary international law, prohibits rejection of a refugee at the frontier and expulsion of refugees who have entered the country. Government Approves EIA Report Of Electricity Transmission Project Of MCA-Nepal, Chaudhary Foundation, Nabil Bank And NAMS Sign MoU To Construct Oxygen Plant And ICU Ward, Weather Forecasting For May 18 Across Nepal, The COVAX Facility Will Deliver Its 65 Millionth Vaccine Dose This Week, Chaudhary Foundation Announces To Construct Oxygen Plants In Bir Hospital, Dhangarhi And Surkhet Hospitals, More Cylinders Will Be Brought From China Via Tatopani Border: Foreign Minister Gyawali, Foreign Minister Gyawali Directed Nepalese Missions To Mobilize International Cooperation, PM KP Oli Starts Third Inning As Prime Minister, EU Provides Rs. Being asylum seekers, they do not have work permits, and imposing fines on them would further decrease the chances of them leaving the country Hence, the government needs to conduct an assessment of the current number of Rohingya residing in Nepal, in order to get them resettled. Nepal is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugees Convention, nor is it a signatory to the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. This can be seen as an act of humanity by the government, as Nepal is not duty-bound to act as per the convention since it has not ratified it. Mahat holds an LLM from the University of California, Los Angeles. The report is based on The Rising Nepal and Photo Credit: Barsha Shah/ Deshsanchr, VOL. Since Nepal already harbours a huge number of refugees, the government should not accept any more Rohingya. Mohammad Shafi, 55, who lost his leg during the recent violence resulting from Muslims persecution in Myanmar, is being carried on bamboo to the hospital due to lack of transportation in Kutupalong refugee camp on March 6, 2017, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. According to an estimate of some humanitarian agencies, there are over 3000 Rohingyas have been living in different parts of Nepal mingling with the local community mostly in the eastern Terai region. It is very likely that they will come to Nepal to seek refuge. Shelters made of corrugated metal by the Rohingya refugees are pictured in Kathmandu, Nepal September 12, 2017. At present there are 147 registered Rohingya Muslims refugees in Nepal, with 100 more in the process of getting documentation. Forcefully deporting all Rohingya refugees would be a violation of this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government must try their level best to prevent this, maybe even put forward this issue to the Indian government. Estimates are that the number of the Rohingyas in Nepal is 500. Pic: Lindsey A Hedges he arrival of Rohingya refugees in Nepal earlier this year was just the latest wave of the Muslim group fleeing […] After entering Nepal, they the visited Jame Mosque in Kathmandu and the Mosque arranged food for them while the UN refugee agency provided them identity cards and Rs 5,000 allowance per family per month. With Nepal already hosting thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, a further influx may only create more problems like security threats, other contraventions in the labour market, misuse of land and so on. Neither the government nor the Rohingyas has answers. This will pose a huge challenge though, as Nepal has an open border with India. Even though 1948 Union Citizenship Act which was introduced after the urma’s independence from the UK provided This essentially means that the Rohingya have a right to seek asylum in Nepal, although it is not necessary that they must be granted refugee status. At least 15 people have been killed in a massive fire that tore through a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, while at least 400 are still missing, the UN refugee agency UNHCR has said. The Rohingyas are now settled near Kapan, and then they rented land in Lasuntar and Hattigauda. The influx of Rohingya refugees has continued in Bangladesh … “We don’t have any laws related to refugees. “They are illegal immigrants, but knowing this fact, we are giving them asylum here on humanitarian ground,” joint-secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs Kedarnath Sharma. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Rohingyas entered … Forcefully deporting all Rohingya refugees would be a violation of this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Home Ministry Secretary Prem Kumar Rai says that the Rohingyas have been allowed to stay in Nepal on humanitarian grounds. There are approximately 300 Rohingya living in Kathmandu, specifically in the Kapan area; and reports state that around 600 more are scattered all over Nepal. Please send your letters to tkpoped@kmg.com.np with "Letter to the Editor" in the subject line. All Rights Reserved. That is why they can stay here until they do not breach any law,” he told to The Rising Nepal, a government-owned daily. And none of them arrived after August. As for the ones that are already in Nepal, the government must work out a rational solution for these asylum seekers, such as a waiver of the fines that the government imposes on all illegal immigrants. 15, April 02, 2021 (Chaitra 20, 2077) Publisher: Keshab Prasad Poudel Online Register Number: DOI 584/074-75, VOL. Situation of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh. From a human rights perspective, the Rohingya that are already here are Nepal’s responsibility. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), over 855,000 Rohingya refugees were staying in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, which is home to the world’s largest refugee camp on only 26 square kilometres of land with limited access to … Security at the border should be strengthened. But the main question here would be where, as neighbouring countries already host a large number. NAYAPARA REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh (Reuters) – The United Nations and the Bangladesh government have started formally registering hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled a military crackdown in Myanmar, a move that officials say would help their eventual return. As a result, the Rohingya and other urban refugees, whose number in Nepal -- according to UNHCR -- is over 500, are at the mercy of the UN body, which cut … Dear reader, we’d like to hear from you. We are currently responding to the Covid-19 crisis as it affects refugee camps in Bangladesh like Cox's Bazar. But being one of the poorest countries in the world, this number is already more than what the government can handle. The Nepal government must also take into consideration the human rights violations suffered by these refugees, and how deporting them all at once would be a human rights violation. A large number issue has been a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, navigated by the UN Commission refugees! 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