REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS - 2012 - Indian Social Institute

REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS - 2012
January to December – 2012
Compiled By
K. Samu
Human Rights Documentation
Indian Social Institute, New Delhi
Mexico deported nearly 50,000 migrants in 2011 (13)
Mexico City, Jan 4 : Mexico deported nearly 50,000 Central American migrants in 2011, a government
report said. A total of 46,716 Central Americans were deported between Jan 1 and Nov 30, 2011, said the
National Migration Institute. The majority -- 41,215 -- were men and nearly half -- around 23,560 -- were
from Guatemala. All migrants were deported in an "easy, orderly, dignified and safe" manner, it said. The
Central Americans accounted for 74 percent of the foreigners who went through Mexican immigration
facilities. The remaining foreigners were either given asylum, granted humanitarian visas or sent home
using different repatriation systems. An estimated 300,000 Central Americans undertake a hazardous
journey across Mexico each year on their way to the US. The journey is a dangerous one, with criminals
and corrupt Mexican officials preying on the migrants. (IANS) (New Kerala 4/1/12)
Pakistan repatriates over 3.7 mn Afghan refugees (13)
Islamabad: Over 3.7 million Afghan refugees have been sent back to their homeland from Pakistan in the
last decade, the UN refugees agency said Wednesday. Between March 2002 and December 2011, over
37,31,000 Afghan refugees were sent back to their country through the repatriation centres in Khyber-
Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, Xinhua reported quoting the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR). (Zee News 4/1/12)
Overseas Indian workers to get insurance cover, pension benefits (13)
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the proposal for providing insurance cover and
pension benefits to overseas Indian workers. Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi had already
announced the plan to set up the fund to provide migrant workers insurance cover and pension benefits
on their return to the country. The fund is mainly aimed at offering financial help to Indians working in the
Gulf region. Meanwhile, renewing its commitment to the strategic Jammu-Baramulla rail link in Jammu
and Kashmir, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved additional R19,000 crore towards
completion of the project. The project was announced over 17 years ago to connect the Kashimr Valley
with Jammu. The links between Jammu-Udhampur and Qazigund-Baramulla are operational while
Udhampur-Katra is to be started in the near future. The fund will be utilised for building rail tracks from
Katra in Jammu to Qazigund. The deadline for completion of the project is 2017. The delay in completion
of the 290-km railway project has led to cost escalation, necessitating sanction of more money. Union
minister Farooq Abdullah, who was keen on getting this fund sanctioned, was also present at the Cabinet
meeting. Work on the 119-km Qazigund-Baramulla track was completed in 2009. It is still under way for
Udhampur-Katra and Katra-Qazigund sections and the deadlines for completion of the two sections have
been set at 2013 and 2017 respectively. (The Financial Express 5/1/12)
Sri Lankan refugee returning home falls in 2011 (13)
Colombo: The number of Sri Lankan refugees, mostly from India, returning home has seen a marked
drop in 2011 when compared with the previous year, the UN refugee agency said on Friday. The latest
UNHCR statistics has shown that a total of 1,728 Sri Lankan refugees had returned under UNHCRs
facilitated voluntary repatriation programme in 2011. In 2010 UNHCR helped some 2,054 Sri Lankan

efugees come home. In 2009, UNHCR facilitated the voluntary return of some 818 individuals. In
October 2011, UNHCR opened up the return of Sri Lankan refugees from India to Colombo by ferry,
adding a new dimension to its voluntary repatriation programme. Until then, all returns took place by air.
However the ferry service was suspended one month later. Apart from those who returned from India, a
small numbers have also returned from Malaysia, Georgia and the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia. A
majority of the returns are taking place to eastern district of Trincomalee. A substantial number is also
going back to the Mannar and Vavuniya districts in the country’s north while small groups are returning to
Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Colombo, Ampara, Puttalam and Kandy. UNHCR's most recent statistics
show that as of end-2010 there are some 141,063 Sri Lankan refugees in 65 countries, with a majority -
some 69,000 in 112 refugee camps and another 32,000 living outside camps in Tamil Nadu, India. The
other main countries with Sri Lankan refugees are France, Canada, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Australia,
Malaysia, the United States and Italy. (Zee News 6/1/11)
J&K govt ignoring rights of west Pak refugees: BJP (13)
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Saturday alleged that state government was not
providing citizenship rights to over 1.5 lakh west Pakistan refugees living in the state for last 62 years.
"There are over 1.5 lakh west Pakistan refugees living in border districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua
district for past 62 years, but have been denied citizenship rights, right to vote in Assembly elections, right
professional education, right to employment," state chief spokespreson and national executive member
Jitendra Singh told media here. A detailed documentation of west Pakistan refugees has already been
submitted to the central leadership of BJP for perusal at the national level and in Parliament, Singh said.
(Zee News 7/1/11)
Muslim migration up in Kerala, Christians lose (13)
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 13 : More and more Keralites are going abroad for jobs, and the highest
migration increase is among Muslims. The number of migrants abroad in 2011 was estimated at 2.28
million, up from 2.19 million in 2008, 1.84 million in 2003 and 1.36 million in 1998. These are among the
findings of the Centre for Development Studies here. It has come out with a fifth comprehensive study on
international and internal migration from Kerala since 1998. Remittances from migrants form more than
60 percent of Kerala's revenue. The report said this stood in 2011 at Rs.49,695 crore, from Rs.43,288
crore in 2008. The proportion of Hindus among the non-resident Keralites has shot up. It was 37.5
percent in 2011, and 29.9 percent in 1998. The vast majority of the migrants in 2011 were Muslims (about
45 percent), although the community's share in Kerala's population was 26 percent. While Hindus formed
about 56 percent of the population, their share among the migrants was only 37.5 percent. The gain
among the Hindus was mostly at the expense of Christians, whose share shrank from 25.1 percent in
2003 to 17.9 percent in 2011. The 2011 study is based on primary data collected from 15,000 households
selected through random sampling covering all 63 taluks or sub-districts. According to study researchers
K.C. Zachariah and S. Irudayarajan, the main countries of destination for Keralites have remained
unchanged over these years - 90 percent go to Gulf countries. Nearly 40 percent of Kerala's migrants live
in the United Arab Emirates and 25 percent in Saudi Arabia. (IANS) (New Kerala 13/1/12)
Tamil problem to top SM Krishna's agenda in Sri Lanka visit (13)
COLOMBO: India will conduct a review of the development process aided by it for the war displaced
people in northern Sri Lanka and push for a political solution to the decade-old Tamil question when
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna meets the country's top leadership in Colombo on Tuesday. Krishna,
who arrived in Colombo on Monday, will meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister
DM Jayaratne and his counterpart GL Peiris and hold discussions on several issues. In a departure from
protocol, Peiris personally welcomed Krishna at the Bandaranaike International Airport here after which
both headed to the VIP lounge and were seen talking to each other. Briefing reporters on-board a special

aircraft, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said Krishna will review the developmental
assistance provided by India since 2009 after the end of decade-old civil war and sign an MoU for
building 49,000 houses for displaced Tamil civilians in northern Sri Lanka. "The visit comes in the
backdrop of the release of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report and India
has already offered initial comments. During the visit, we will see what Sri Lanka intends to do about this,"
he said. Akbaruddin said India's position as always been that a solution to the ethnic problem should be
found politically and Sri Lanka has to implement the 13th amendment of the constitution and beyond. The
13th amendment deals with the devolution of power to the northern areas, that were till 2009 under the
control of the LTTE. Krishna will tomorrow visit Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) memorial in Colombo,
the first Indian political leader to pay a visit to the site. During his breakfast meeting with Rajapakse on
Tuesday, Krishna is expected to take up the entire gamut of bilateral issues, including developmental
assistance India has been providing and relief and rehabilitation programme's progress, sources said.
(DNA 16/1/11)
23 years on, Kashmiri Pandits remain refugees in their own nation (13)
The government of India has a moral responsibility for working towards a consensus for the return of
Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland, says B Raman Today marks 23 years since Jammu & Kashmir saw
the beginning of the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits, the original inhabitants of Jammu & Kashmir,
from their homeland at the instigation of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence by a group of Kashmiri
jihadi elements who were trained, armed and motivated by the ISI. The lead in this act of ethnic cleansing
was initially taken by the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front and the Hizbul Mujahideen [ Images ]. Other
jihadi organisations, which subsequently came into existence after having been trained and armed by the
ISI, kept the ethnic cleansing going till practically all the Kashmiri Pandits were driven out after having
been subjected to numerous indignities and brutalities such as rape of women, torture, forcible seizure of
property etc. The Pandits, who survived these acts of indignities and brutalities, were forced to leave their
homeland and seek shelter in camps for refugees set up in Jammu and Delhi [ Images ]. Within a few
weeks of the outbreak of ethnic cleansing, a majority of Pandits found themselves reduced to the
miserable status of refugees in their own country. As the Pandits, their wives and children were subjected
to indignities and brutalities and driven out of their homeland, the Indian State, totally caught by surprise,
watched helplessly and pusillanimously, as the plans of the ISI to change the demographic composition of
the Kashmir Valley in order to make it a predominantly Muslim area were sought to be implemented by
the jihadis trained by the ISI. Neither V P Singh [ Images ], who was the prime minister when the ethnic
cleansing was carried out, nor any of his successors had the least idea of how to deal with the situation.
There were various options available. I will cite only two. The first option was to direct the army to reestablish
Indian sovereignty over Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan as a punitive measure.
Pakistan had by then acquired military nuclear capability, but not a nuclear arsenal. It did not have a
satisfactory delivery capability. We could have, therefore, easily retaken PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan without
fear of provoking a nuclear war. The V P Singh government did not exercise this option. The other option
was to train and arm the Pandits and ask them to go back and reoccupy their property and fight against
the ISI-trained jihadis. This option was carefully examined and given up as it was not advisable. There
were legitimate fears that this option could polarise forever the relations between Muslims and Hindus
and play into the hands of the jihadis who wanted such polarisation. The option finally chosen was to look
after the Pandits in refugee camps and other areas, where they had settled down with their relatives, and
wait for the restoration of normalcy in the Valley so that these refugees could be helped to go back, reestablish
their ownership of their property and resume a life of dignity as the residents of their traditional
homeland. The Pandits have been waiting for 23 years, hoping that the day of their return with honour
and security to their homeland will come. It has not so far, despite the considerable improvement in the
ground situation. In the meanwhile, the plight of the Pandits has been slowly forgotten. Everybody sheds
crocodile tears over their suffering, but there is nothing more by way of action. The future of the Pandits,

as an important dimension of the Kashmir problem, is less and less talked about. There was one man
who spent his years of retirement in attempts to ensure that the promises made by the nation, to restore
the honour and dignity of the Pandits, were not forgotten. He took a lively interest in their future and
interacted vigorously with leaders of the government and opposition political parties to ensure that this
dimension of the Kashmir problem was not forgotten. His name was R N Kao. He was a Kashmiri and the
legendary founding father of the Research & Analysis Wing. The Kashmir tragedy broke out five years
after he retired from public service in 1984. From 1989 till his death in 2002, he devoted a lot of time to
his self-assumed task of restoring the honour and dignity of the Pandits. Since Kao's death in 2002, the
Kashmiri Pandits find themselves orphaned. There is no one at the political or bureaucratic level who is
prepared to come to the forefront, stick their neck out and demand action to restore the dignity and
honour of the Pandits. Hopes that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government would pay attention to the
future of the Pandits were sadly belied. The BJP-led government was as confused and as inactive as any
of the other governments that had held office since 1989. How do we move forward on this issue Two
realities have to be kept in mind. Firstly, it is too late in the day to think of identifying and punishing those
who were responsible for the ethnic cleansing. Any ill-advised attempt to do so would complicate the
situation further. Secondly, the return of the Pandits to their homeland cannot be enforced unilaterally by
the governments of India and the state. It has to be the outcome of a consensus among different political
parties of the state and leaders of different communities. The government of India has a moral
responsibility for working towards such a consensus. Presently, it has not been doing so. It should be
made to do so through public pressure. It is time to stop meaningless breast-beating on the plight of the
Pandits and their future. It is time to work for concrete ways of enabling their return to their homeland in
dignity and honour. (Rediff 19/1/11)
Refugees to observe Jan 26 as 'Black Day' (13)
Jammu, Jan 20: Hundreds of refugees under the banner of 'Pak Occupied Jammu-Kashmir Refugees
Front' today staged a protest against the state government and decided to observe Republic Day as
‘Black Day’. Amid demonstration at Mubarak Mandi Complex, the Refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971
alleged failure of the successive State and Central governments in redressing their problems. "The
government despite assurances, has done nothing on the ground and we have decided to observe
January 26 as ‘Black Day’ and would boycott all the government functions," a refugee leader in his
address said. Protesting displaced people from bordering Deva Watala, Chamb, Manawar, Mirpur, Kotli,
Palandari Poonch and Muzaffarabad areas carrying banners and placards highlighted their demands and
also shouted anti-government slogans alleging, "government has been denying them of their basic rights
for the last six decades and they were not provided land or adequate relief." They however, demanded
immediate implementation of Wadhwa Committee Report, permanent settlement, citizenship rights,
compensation to displaced people of 1947, 1965 and 1971. The refugees alleged, "no attention is being
paid to register the unregistered non-camp families of 1947 and 1971, relief of Rs 68 lakh claimed against
272 non-camp of 1971 war families have yet been distributed to the eligible families, files of 110 noncamp
1971 war families have not been passed while the process of disbursement of relief of 1947 war
families has also not started." Meanwhile, the refugees also demanded that 12 out of the 24 assembly
seats reserved from PoK should be restored. The Front also demanded appointment of Lokayukta in J
and K. The demonstrators further said they would take out rally in New Delhi to attract attention of
Parliament. (UNI) (New Kerala 21/1/12)
Families turn refugees in their own land (13)
KORAPUT: The conflict between the district administration and the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha has
made 40 families of Jhadipadra village in Narayanpatna block refugees in their own land. They are living
in the Kumbhagaon, on the outskirts of Koraput town, for the last five months under deplorable conditions,
in constant fear of being attacked. There is no long-term solution in sight. Sources said the families were

asked by a group of villagers in Jhadipadra, owing allegiance to the Sangha, to join their fight against the
administration over land and forest rights. When the families refused, the group asked them to leave the
place and settle elsewhere. “After the Narayanpatna violence, the group of villagers wanted us to join
them. They also threatened us with dire consequences. Subsequently, three fellow villagers were hacked
to death for not supporting them,” said Lachani Sirka, a victim. This forced the 40 families to flee. All
these families are now living an uncertain life with no access to health facilities, drinking water, food and
shelter. They have started working as daily wagers for livelihood. “As many as 30 children in the families
have not been to school for the last five months,” said Rasma Sirika, an elderly woman. She added that
there are five pregnant women in the families who are finding it difficult to visit the Koraput town to avail of
medical facilities. Sub-Collector Ramakanta Naik has admitted to their plight and promised to look into the
issue. Meanwhile, members of the citizens forum urged the district administration to provide these
families with basic facilities at Kumbhagaon.(NIE 23/1/12)
SHRC urged to stop forced migration of Dalits, tribals (13)
GANDHINAGAR: A representation made to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has demanded
urgent action from Gujarat government in certain villages, where the authorities have failed to take
"appropriate action" to prevent extreme cases of social boycott and forced migration of Dalits and tribals.
The representation followed a public hearing of Dalits and tribals here on Tuesday, where a five-person
non-governmental organization (NGO) jury, which included senior human rights activists Martin Macwan
and Gagan Sethi, heard tens of such boycott and migration cases. Made by a team under Manjula
Pradeep, who heads state-based NGO Navsarjan Trust, the representation to SHRC said, "The jury
particularly stressed on quick action on six incidents of social boycott (four of Dalits and two of tribals), 11
incidents of forced migration and one incident of social boycott and forced migration of Dalits in Gujarat."
The hearing was organized by Navsarjan Trust and Gujarat Human Rights Committee. Dalits and tribals
from the seven districts - Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Patan and
Vadodara -- came to Gandhinagar to relate how the dominant castes' pressure on the complainants to
settle down cases of atrocities has resulted in their forced migration. A list of cases of social boycott and
forced migration submitted to SHRC chairman J N Bhatt along with the representation enumerates social
boycott and forced migration in 78 villages of Gujarat and their presentation said some of the issues -
such as those of Pati and Lundhara villages of Bhavnagar district - are as old as 1992 and 1994 and they
remain alive even today. While resistance to untouchability practice was the main reason for social
boycott and forced migration, other related issues, included Dalits not being allowed to enter temples
(Bhadreshi in Rajkot district, Rampar in Surendranagar district and Vanthal and Kundal in Ahmedabad
district), dispute during elections, land-related issues, forced dragging of dead animals, rape of Dalit
women, minimum wages, refusal to excess to drinking water and so on. During the hearing, Harishbhai
Ratnottar said how in Vanthal village of Ahmedabad district in May 2009 the Dalits were made to
participate in building a new Ram temple, but were refused entry when they wanted to pray. "A tussle
ensued, and a social boycott, such as ban on shopkeepers to sell goods and employment of Dalits on
wage labour, was imposed," he added. (Times of India 26/1/12)
Somali refugee girl gets justice without fanfare in Delhi (13)
NEW DELHI, January 27, 2012: Just when there was an uproar over the manner in which the Norwegian
Child Welfare Services dealt with two Indian children after it concluded that their mother was unfit to look
after them, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Delhi had amicably disposed of a case of a Somali girl,
(name withheld for privacy) who had complained of abuse by her mother. The CWC, established under
the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, resolved the matter within one month and the refugee girl is back with her
family now. Under the international mandate, a refugee child is entitled to shelter, care and protection
under the provisions of the Act. The matter came to the CWC on December 7 last after NGO Butterflies
received a call from Don Bosco Ashalayam — an implementing partner of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that assists in the protection of refugees and asylum seekers in
Delhi — saying the Somali girl had complained to Childline (1098) that she was being physically abused
by her mother. The girl was taken into custody by Butterflies after she refused to go back to her house
fearing for her life from no other than her mother. Though a medical examination did not reveal any
physical injuries, she was sent to Prayas Juvenile Home for the night until she was brought before the
CWC, where the police requested that she be sent to a children home for girls for temporary shelter and
sought counselling for her as well as her mother, a widow who claimed she was having tough time
bringing up her teenaged daughter and two younger children. The mother also came to the CWC to seek
her daughter's custody but the girl refused to go with her, saying she wanted a week's time to decide
whether she will go back to her mother or not. After lot of deliberations, the girl was sent to a distant
relative's place in South Delhi who was considered ‘fit person' to take her custody. A week later when the
girl was again brought before the JJ court, she was assured by her mother and other community
members that she would not be subject to any harassment or abuse in the future. “It is observed that the
child, given her age and intellectual capacity, is in a position to decide what is good for her. Though she
has approached police and the committee to seek protection, she is willing to give a chance to her
mother, provided there is no harassment or abuse of any kind in future,” the Committee order said while
deciding to restore the girl to the mother. Don Bosco Ashlayam was asked to follow up the girl's case and
keep the CWC informed of the girl and the treatment given to her by her mother by making weekly visits
to her house and holding counselling sessions with the girl and the mother. Finally, on January 11, the
CWC, chaired by Raaj Mangal Prasad disposed of the case after deciding that the matter did not need
monitoring as the girl was reported to be happy with her mother and there were no more complaints of
abuse or ill-treatment. “We took the decision to send the girl to a relative's place because we did not want
to place her in a totally disconnected socio-cultural background where she would have adjustment
problems,” Mr. Prasad told The Hindu. The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 clearly lays down that migration
from biological parents should be the last resort, and if really necessary, it should be reviewed periodically
while the United Nations Convention on Child Rights also defines family as the best place for bringing up
a child. The CWC, final authority on deciding the welfare of children under difficult situations, is to keep
these two commitments in mind while taking any decision. (The Hindu 27/1/12)
A State grappling with the problem of migration (13)
HAMPAWAT, January 30, 2012: A decade ago, when Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh,
Bhairav Datt hoped that his sons would not have to leave their home to look for jobs in either Delhi or
Lucknow. But now, while his third son is preparing for his class X examination, his two sons are already in
Delhi working in a restaurant trying to earn a living. “People in our village thought that the creation of a
new State would put an end to migration and make life easier for us. However, there has been no change
as migration of village youth continues unabated. “My elder son did a computer certificate course but he
could not find a job in district headquarter Champawat, so he decided to move to Delhi where he found
that just doing a basic course in training was not good enough. We had no money to fund his advance
course, so he joined a restaurant where other folks of our village are also employed,” Mr. Datt adds. It is
similar story of youths in Barabati village, a few kilometres from Champawat, which is regarded as one of
Uttarakhand's backward hill districts. At least one son from each of the 50-odd families is either in Delhi,
Lucknow or Dehra Dun doing odd jobs to earn a living, while those doing their intermediate or graduation
hope to get some “respectable” job in some city as there is no job opportunity available in the hill towns
due to lack of industry or some kind of business activity. The fact is that the problem of migration is only
getting worse as the younger generation is forced to leave their homes. It is the same story in remote
villages, be it in Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Almora or Bageshwar. Lack
of government initiatives to provide self-employment opportunities, failure to promote tourism and
agriculture, and lack of facilities is forcing people to migrate towards cities and towns. The problem of
migration is crucial from the strategic point too as out of the 625-km-long international border, 350 km is

shared with China. Of 13 districts, five are border ones. Around 47 per cent area is under these border
districts. Talking about challenges and difficulties for those living in the hill districts, particularly in villages
that fall on the international border, advocate Bharat Dixit says: “Inaccessibility is a crucial aspect…
government data shows that around 2,000 villages in hill districts are situated at the distance of 5 km or
more from road head, while 50 per cent of villages are of less than 200 population and 80 per cent are of
less than 500 residents. Moreover, uneconomic land holdings also make its difficult for growing families to
sustain themselves. As high as 72 per cent are under the category of marginal holdings and 47 per cent
are below the size of 0.5 hectares.” Though the government has managed to bring some industries in the
Terai region (foothills) in Dehra Dun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, on the hills it has failed to
promote even cottage industries. Since 65 per cent of total forest area is covered by thick vegetation, the
government finds it difficult to carry out development activities. Officials say the government was hoping
to exploit the huge hydro power potential to generate employment and boost economic development, but
ecological concerns and delay in getting clearances under the Forest Conservation Act has resulted in
200 major projects awaiting clearances. Moreover, problems of rehabilitation of displaced people is also a
big challenge as people uprooted from Tehri more than a decade ago are still to be properly rehabilitated.
The result of this plain-urban divide has led to a wide gap in per capita income. Notably, in hill districts the
per capita income is nearly two-third that of plain districts. The per capita income (2008-09) of three
industrial districts of Haridwar, Dehra Dun and Udham Singh Nagar was Rs.50,227, Rs.43,521 and
Rs.33,825, while that of the remote hill districts of Bageshwar, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi was
Rs.22,709, Rs.24,474 and Rs.25,379. No major industry exists in the hills, while big industrial houses
such as Tata, Hero Group and Ashok Leyland have set up shop. (The Hindu 30/1/12)
UN: More than 1,500 migrants died in the Mediterranean in 2011 (13)
NEW YORK/GENEVA : More than 1,500 people drowned or went missing while attempting to cross the
sea from Africa to reach Europe last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
reported on Tuesday. The deaths make the Mediterranean Sea the world's deadliest stretch of water for
migrants and refugees, and the numbers released on Tuesday are the highest since UNHCR began to
record these statistics in 2006. "Our teams in Greece, Italy, Libya, and Malta, warn that the actual number
of deaths at sea may be even higher," UNHCR spokesperson Sybella Wilkes told reporters in Geneva.
She added that the UNHCR estimates were based on interviews with migrants who reached Europe by
boat, telephone and e-mail communication from their relatives, as well as reports from Libya and Tunisia
from survivors whose boats either sank or were in distress. Large numbers of people have tried to reach
Europe since early last year when pro-democracy protests erupted across North Africa and the Middle
East. Some survivors have reported cases of abuse and torture experienced at the hands of other
passengers during the journey. "We renew our call to all shipmasters in the Mediterranean, one of the
busiest stretches of water in the world, to remain vigilant and to carry out their duty of rescuing vessels in
distress," Wilkes stated. She added that, despite poor weather conditions and high seas, three boats had
already attempted the crossing in 2012, with one going missing at sea. Of last year's arrivals by sea,
56,000 landed in Italy while Malta and Greece received 1,574 and 1,000 respectively. In addition,
according to the Greek Government, an estimated 55,000 irregular migrants crossed the Greek-Turkish
land border. (BNO News) (New Kerala 1/2/12)
Sri Lanka says over 7 lakh war refugees resettled (13)
Colombo: Sri Lankan government on Thursday claimed that it had succeeded in resettling over seven
lakh war- displaced people in the north and eastern regions, leaving behind a little over 6,000 refugees in
camps. Gunaratna Weerakoon, the minister of resettlement told reporters that the resettlement process
had made commendable progress, and that over 700,000 had been already resettled. "Since the end to
the war we have successfully resettled 724,135 people or 216,412 families," Weerakoon said. Officials
said this included all civilians displaced by the government's successful military campaign against the
LTTE. Nearly 300,000 civilians crossed over to the areas of government control during the last phase of

the war in 2009. Out of these only a small number remains to be resettled, Weerakoon added. "There are
only two camps of IDPs now. They are 6556 people of 1965 families," Weerakoon said, adding that they
were original settlers of Puthukudyiruppu in the northern Mullaithivu district, a former LTTE nerve centre.
Their resettlement has been hampered by the non clearance of land mines. Weerakoon said that a jungle
patch had been cleared to resettle them and initially some 200 families would be resettled. Sri Lanka's
resettlement of the conflict displaced has received wide international support, including from India. (Zee
News 2/2/12)
Afghan refugees needs right conditions to return home: UN (13)
Islamabad, Feb 3 : The United Nations refugee chief on Thursday thanked the Pakistani Government for
its generosity towards Afghans who have sought refuge in the country, while also calling for creating the
right conditions in Afghanistan that will promote large-scale voluntary returns. "At a time when many
countries are closing their doors to those fleeing violence and persecution, the generosity of the people
and the Government of Pakistan towards Afghan refugees deserves greater recognition and support on
the part of the international community," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres.
Wrapping up a two-day visit to Pakistan, he called for additional international solidarity with the country as
well as with Iran, both of which continue to host large numbers of Afghan refugees after more than 30
years. Nearly three million registered Afghan refugees remain in the region today, including 1.7 million in
Pakistan and one million in Iran. Last year, just over 50,000 Afghan refugees returned home from
Pakistan, down from nearly 110,000 in 2010. Despite the decline, the number of Afghan returns last year
represented the largest refugee repatriation programme in the world. "The priority now is to create
conditions inside Afghanistan that will allow for large-scale voluntary repatriation," said Guterres. While in
Pakistan, the High Commissioner met with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Hina
Rabbani Khar to discuss an agreement reached in Dubai this week between Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan
and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to pursue a regional strategy aimed at finding durable solutions to
the Afghan refugee situation. The new strategy will be presented at a conference to be held in
Switzerland in May that will seek support for programmes inside Afghanistan which will foster returns
while providing additional support to communities that host Afghan refugees. According to UNHCR, the
lack of livelihood opportunities and shelter, as well as insecurity, are the most frequently cited reasons for
not returning to Afghanistan. Those who return through the agency's voluntary repatriation programme
receive an average of USD 150 per person to cover transport as well as the initial cost of settling back
home. In total, 5.7 million Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan and Iran, representing nearly a
quarter of Afghanistan's population. (IBNS) (New Kerala 4/2/12)
UN-backed census aims to improve lives of Dominican refugees (13)
New York, Feb 8 : A United Nations-backed census has been launched in the Dominican Republic to
improve to the lives of hundreds of refugees and asylum-seekers. According to the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the census, which began last week, will provide more accurate
data on the number of refugees in the Caribbean nation and will record basic information such as age,
gender, nationality, place of current residence, and family details. "This census can be a useful tool for
both UNHCR and the Dominican Government," said Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, who heads the agency's
office in Santo Domingo. "By identifying where individuals are today and re-establishing contact with
them, this exercise can contribute significantly in our joint efforts to reactivate the asylum system for
individuals who have been waiting years for a decision," he added. A particular feature of the census is
that mobile phones will be used to record information more quickly and will allow census staff,who have
been trained by UNHCR, to take pictures and include satellite navigation data as part of the registration
process. UNHCR data states that at the end of last year, there were some 595 refugees and 1,785
asylum-seekers in the country, the majority living in urban areas around the capital, Santo Domingo.
While most are Haitian, there are also people from countries such as Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Sri Lanka and

Syria. The census, which is being carried out in partnership with the organization Pastoral Haitiana, will
also provide an overview of the documentation status of this population. Most refugees in the Dominican
Republic were recognized as such in the mid 1990s, but were never able to obtain legal residence in the
country. In some cases, asylum-seekers have been waiting for more than 10 years for their claims to be
decided, holding state-issued certificates which need to be renewed every three months and do not allow
them to work. In a news release issued by the agency, UNHCR noted that the census, which will continue
throughout March, was preceded by an information campaign and intensive consultations with community
leaders to ensure that refugees and asylum-seekers are aware of the importance of being registered. In
August, the National Commission for Refugees (CONARE) requested UNHCR's support to locate asylumseekers
in the country and prepare an initial assessment of their claims. The Dominican Government later
pledged at a ministerial meeting in Geneva to strengthen CONARE's work and improve the procedure to
deal with pending and future asylum cases. However, as CONARE has not met since 2005, its
reactivation is key in ensuring individuals can exercise their rights and duties under the UN Refugee
Convention, UNHCR said. (IBNS) (New Kerala 8/2/12)
Myanmar refugees tell of violence despite peace calls (13)
China: In an obscure part of southwest China, a refugee crisis from one of the world's longest running and
least known conflicts in Myanmar is slowly unfolding, largely ignored by the outside world and denied by
China. Thousands of refugees bringing tales of rape and violence have flooded across the border into
China, fleeing fighting between Myanmar government troops and ethnic minority Kachin rebels.Conflicts
between the Myanmar government and various minority rebel groups erupted soon after independence
from Britain in 1948. The Myanmar government is keen to end the violence as it introduces democratic
reforms after five decades of iron-fisted military rule and as Western governments call for peace as they
prepare to lift sanctions. Concrete moves to end the conflicts is a condition for the full lifting of the
embargoes. While pacts have ended the fighting in most parts of Myanmar, the bloodshed has not
stopped in Kachin state in the far north despite a call from the central government for an end. Kachin
state, a broad spur of Himalayan foothills wedged between China and India, has for generations
produced some of the world's finest jade, as well as opium and timber. Now it is central to the energy
plans of both Myanmar and China, home to hydropower dams and twin pipelines that will transport oil and
natural gas to China's southwestern Yunnan province. In the town of Nongdao in a far western nook of
Yunnan, talk of Myanmar's return to democracy and the release of political prisoners ordered by
President Thein Sein rings hollow to refugees such as Da Shi Jar Raw. "They used big rockets to hit the
villages and they burned the fields," the 32-year-old told Reuters, describing attacks by government
soldiers in the country also known as Burma. "The Burmese soldiers are raping women and shooting
children," she said. "They killed a lot of mothers so we don't dare go back." Labang Roi Tawng took her
four young children and fled on a four-day trek in December to the border and safety at a camp in China
of more than 500 people."The military were killing, shooting and raping people, doing terrible things, so
we were very afraid and ran," she said.At least 10,000 refugees have entered China since fighting
erupted between Myanmar's military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) after a 17-year-old
ceasefire broke down last June. Some Chinese media reports have put the number at 40,000. "How long
the fighting continues, we cannot say," said Lahpai Zaulat, with the Kachin Relief and Development
Committee at Longdao, another area where refugees have flocked. "More and more will come," he said of
the flow of people fleeing, adding new huts were being built every week. At one camp, where a mass of
huts nestled between an open rubbish heap and farmland, organisers said refugees were arriving at a
rate of about 10 a day. Most of the Kachin villagers have fled to several areas along the fenceless border
including Mai Jai Yang in Kachin state, and Nongdao, Longchuan and Leiji on the Chinese side. The flow
of displaced appears to be under control for now, with authorities grudgingly providing land for shelters.
(DNA 10/2/12)

Pakistan sent back 50,000 Afghan refugees in 2011
Islamabad, Feb 15 : Around 50,000 Afghan refugees were sent back to their country by Pakistan last
year, a media report said Wednesday. The Online news agency said more than 300,000 Afghans were
residing in Pakistan, and out of them, one third were not registered with the authorities and living illegally
in the country. Sources said hundreds of Afghan refugees return to Pakistan daily even after being sent
back to their country, reportedly due to the Afghan government's non-provision of shelter, security and
employment. More than 100,000 Afghans were repatriated in 2010. The Pakistani government in
collaboration with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has increased the compensation
money to $150 dollars from the earlier $100 for each family that wants to go to their homeland voluntarily.
(IANS) (New Kerala 15/2/12)
Over Rs. 40 lakh for renovation of refugee camps (13)
CUDDALORE, February 16, 2012: Collector Rajendra Ratnoo has said that as many as 171 habitations
in the Ambalavananpettai Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps would be renovated at a cost of Rs 40.05
lakh. He visited the camps on Wednesday and interacted with residents. He said the split-up of the
allocation was as follows: for renovation works – Rs. 23.57 lakh; for construction of cement roads and
drainage – Rs. 13.50 lakh; for sprucing up the access road to the graveyard – Rs. 1.20 lakh; and for
sinking deep borewell – Rs. 1.78 lakh. Mr. Ratnoo also noted that the Pondicherry Multipurpose Social
Service Society (PMSSS), a non-governmental organisation, was constructing 75 houses for residents of
the Kattumannarkoil refugee camps. He said as many as 435 families, comprising 766 men and 701
women, were living that in the four refugee camps located at Ambalavananpettai, Kurinjipadi,
Vriddhachalam and Kattumannarkoil. For facilitating educational prospects of their wards, the government
had provided accommodation at hostels run by the Backward Classes Welfare Department and the Most
Backward Classes Welfare Department. (The Hindu 17/2/12)
UN and partners ask for more funds for relief work (13)
New York, Feb 18 : The United Nations agencies and their partners on Friday requested USD 134 million
to fund relief programmes for an estimated 1.9 million people affected by conflict in the Central African
Republic (CAR) for the next 12 months. “Over the past two years, the Central African Republic has
received less than 50 per cent funding for its consolidated appeals,” said Zakaria Maïga, the acting UN
Humanitarian Coordinator for CAR at the launch of the appeal in the country’s capital, Bangui. “I therefore
urge the international community to increase their financial support.” Those in need include some 19,867
refugees, 94,386 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 71,601 returnees and communities hosting
them. Despite years of receiving relief, CAR remains fragile, with ongoing violence threatening the
resilience of the population in a country where poverty is widespread. “Most humanitarian actors describe
the crisis as a forgotten emergency which is worsened by insufficient funding,” said Jean Sébastien
Munié, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) office in CAR. “Due
to an extremely high level of vulnerability, most incidents lead to a humanitarian crisis, requiring
emergency assistance. Substantial funding is therefore crucial,” he added. (IBNS) (New Kerala 18/2/12)
Chidambaram asks refugees in Tripura to return to Mizoram (13)
Agartala, Feb 18 : Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Saturday said the central and Mizoram
governments would make efforts for the return of 37,000 Mizoram tribal refugees from six north Tripura
camps, where they have been living for 15 years. "I told the tribal refugees that life in the refugee camps
has no meaning. Their future and their long term interest lies at their homes in Mizoram. We must do
everything for resolving the problems they have been facing," Chidambaram told reporters after holding a
meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. The home minister visited the refugees camps, held
meetings with the refugee leaders, Mizoram and Tripura government officials at Kanchanpur in northern
Tripura, before holding a meeting with Sarkar here. "The ministry of DoNER (Development of North

Eastern Region) had already announced a package for the development of the Reang tribal dominated
areas in Mizoram. The home ministry is also separately providing financial assistance for resettlement
and rehabilitation of the tribals," Chidambaram said. The DoNER package included development of
roads, connectivity, setting up of schools and health centres. "The refugees and their leaders want a
written assurance from the Mizoram government about their resettlement and rehabilitation in their
villages. I assure them, I would go to Mizoram next month and resolve the issues," said the home
minister. "The repatriation process of remaining 37,000 tribal refugees of around 6,000 families is on. Last
year 790 refugee families had gone back to Mizoram," he added. The home minister visited the refugee
camps, 190 km north of Agartala, where about 37,000 inmates, including 6,000 children, have been
lodged. Home ministry's Joint Secretary Sambhu Singh held a series of meetings Friday and Saturday
with Tripura and Mizoram government officials. Mizoram officials, led by Home Secretary K. Riachho, said
at the meetings that the state government was ready to take back all the Reang tribal refugees if the 83
Mizo families, who according to them had been evicted by the Reangs from north Tripura in 1983, were
provided rehabilitation. Though the Tripura government officials opposed the Mizoram government's
allegation, the home ministry officials agreed to provide financial support to the Mizo families. Following
ethnic tensions sparked by the killing of a Mizo forest official in Mizoram, over 41,000 Reang tribal
refugees - locally called Bru - had taken shelter in six camps in north Tripura's Kanchanpur sub-division in
October 1997. After a series of meetings, a total of 701 tribal families-comprising about 3,585 men,
women and children-were sent back last year. The home ministry last year broadened the economic
package for home-bound refugees following mediation by the New Delhi-based rights group Asian Centre
for Human Rights (ACHR). "Apart from Rs.80,000 assistance to each refugee family and free ration for
one year, the home ministry will support self-employment schemes to be initiated by the Reang tribals,"
ACHR director Suhas Chakma told IANS on phone from New Delhi. (IANS) (New Kerala 19/2/12)
More housing projects in pipeline for refugees (13)
CHENNAI, February 22, 2012: With the completion of the Kattumannarkoil housing project for Sri Lankan
Tamil refugees, many such housing projects have been planned in Tamil Nadu. Even though the
Kattumannarkoil project and many others are funded by non-government organisations with proven track
record, the State government provides the enabling environment for their execution, senior officials said.
In Kattumannarkoil of Cuddalore district, 75 dwelling units of 200 sq ft each were built at a unit cost
Rs.1.2 lakh. At a function on Sunday, the houses were handed over to the beneficiaries. They have come
up on the premises of the Regulated Market Committee where these 75 families were living nearly for 20
years. Till now, a portion of the godown was earmarked for them and this constituted the refugee camp.
Originally, 56 cents were set apart for the refugees. This could accommodate only 42 families. After the
present government assumed office, the Agriculture Department, the owner of the land, agreed to provide
49 cents more for the remaining 33 families, the officials said, adding that 105 cents of land was
transferred to the Rehabilitation Department. The Kattumannarkoil housing project was implemented with
the sponsorship of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an overseas relief and development agency of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic community in the U.S. The officials
clarified that a specific undertaking is obtained from the CRS or any other such organisation that no
religious work will be undertaken in the camp areas. In addition, the CRS had funded the construction of
251 houses for the refugees in Tirunelveli and Tiruppur districts. At present, the construction of 75 houses
in Salem was nearing completion while the foundation work for 86 houses had begun in Chinnasalem of
Villupuram district. In the next financial year, one more camp in Cuddalore might be covered by the CRS.
Another NGO involved in the housing programme is Adra India, taking care of 278 houses in Dharmapuri,
Tiruppur, Sivagangai and Tirunelveli districts. Besides, numerous refugees' houses had been repaired by
the organisation. The officials said that the refugees provide the labour component in all housing projects
and are paid wages for their work. The State government provides land and new units are located on the

premises of the existing refugee camps. Their execution is monitored by the Rehabilitation Department
and officials of the respective district administration. (The Hindu 22/2/12)
Displaced Gujarat riot victims still languish in shanties (13)
Ahmedabad: Ten years elapsed since the Godhra riots, but several riot-hits who were relocated to relief
camps continue to languish in dismal conditions, thanks to an apathetic government which looks the
other. Surviving even with basic infrastructure facilities like roads, electricity and gutter lines, the victims
are further victimised by the system's laissez-faire approach in solving their issues. Some of these victims
narrate tales of their miserable existence besides garbage dumps and living in places that are nothing
short of dump yards themselves. They were speaking at a convention titled 'Gujarat's internally displaced:
Ten years later', which is part of the programmes organised by several NGOs under Insaf ki Dagar Par
event. The convention was held by Janvikas in the city on Wednesday. Recounting tales of horror that
continue even after 2002, Shama Banu Ansari, a resident of a relief colony said, "I have been living in a
pathetic condition for the last 10 years. We lack basic facilities and our complaints to government officials
fall on deaf ears." She said that the water which flows out of the overflowing gutters and right into her
colony has even killed a girl and not to mention about the others who have fallen ill from the unhygienic
living conditions. Rohit Prajapati, secretary of People's Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL) said it is high time
the government, that would like everyone to believe that there are no riot affected in the state, takes a
hard look at reality. “It is time they made a package for the internally displaced and also helped those who
want to return to their villages," said Prajapati. He further said those who live in riot colonies are people
who don't dare to return to their original place due to threat to their lives. Several other victims apart from
activists include Prakash Shah of Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD) and Vijay Parmar, CEO of
Jan Vikas. These are the people who cannot dare to return to their original place of residence and have,
since 2002, been residing in shelters built by NGO's and Muslim charitable organisations. (DNA 1/3/12)
UN urges probe into death of Afghan asylum-seeker (13)
New York, Mar 3 : The United Nations refugee agency on Friday called on Indonesian authorities to carry
out a swift and thorough investigation into the reported death of an Afghan asylum-seeker following a
failed escape attempt from a detention facility in the country. According to initial reports, six Afghan
asylum-seekers attempted an escape from the immigration detention centre in Pontianak (Kalimantan) on
Sunday. The Indonesian authorities apprehended all six either during or immediately after the escape,
according to a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. "UNHCR
is seriously troubled by the unclear turn of events that followed," Andrej Mahecic told a news conference.
He said staff from UNHCR visited the local hospital on Tuesday and were informed that the 28-year-old
Afghan asylum-seeker was declared dead on arrival that morning after his body was brought to the
hospital by unknown individuals. However, the cause of death has not been established yet and police
say they will conduct an autopsy. Three asylum-seekers were hospitalized on Tuesday while two more,
including a 17-year-old, were admitted today with serious injuries. The remaining two are still in the
detention centre. Additional UNHCR staffs from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, are on their way to
Pontianak to meet the authorities at the detention centre, as well as the five Afghans to ensure their wellbeing.
"We call on the Indonesian authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation that will shed
light on this incident," said Mahecic. "We are also seeking more information from our immigration
counterparts on this incident." He added that UNHCR is encouraged by the decision of the Indonesian
Immigration Headquarters to dispatch its team to Pontianak to investigate the incident. (IBNS) (New
Kerala 4/3/12)
Sri Lankan rights issue: India not to act hastily (13)
Chennai, March 8, 2012: India’s stand at the ongoing U.N. Human Rights Council meet in Geneva on the
resolution against Sri Lanka over alleged war crimes would be taken based on the overall ties between

the two neighbours and the sentiments in the country, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna said on
Thursday. “Certainly we will take into account the overall relationship between India and Sri Lanka and
the sentiments that are prevalent in our country. We will take every factor into consideration before we
take a final call on our stand in Geneva,” he said. Mr. Krishana’s comments come days after Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa shot off two letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking India’s support
to the U.S.-backed resolution against Sri Lanka for alleged human rights violations during the civil war.
Mr. Krishna also said India was providing a number of humanitarian aids to the internally displaced
“Tamil—speaking brothers and sisters” in the island nation. He himself had seen renovation of schools
and other works undertaken by New Delhi, he added. On concerns expressed by Ms. Jayalalithaa in
another letter to Prime Minister over frequent ‘unannounced’ visits by Sri Lankan VIPs to Tamil Nadu, Mr.
Krishna said the Centre would take her opinion into account. “We are a federal state, we have the
greatest respect for the rights of States. Whatever is the assessment of the State governments, we will
certainly take it into account... we will see how we can reconcile the issue,” he said. “I would like to assure
the Chief Minister that her opinion will certainly be factored in the decision we are going to take,” he said.
(The Hindu 8/3/12)
Police begin identifying migrant labourers (13)
COIMBATORE, March 9, 2012: The Coimbatore City Police and their counterparts in Coimbatore Rural
police district are in full swing identifying migrant labourers and documenting their details. Superintendent
of Police E.S. Uma said that the rural police were carrying out station-wise enumeration in all the 30
police station limits. Thus far, they had gathered details of 19,000 migrant labourers. The details the
police collected included name, address – both in their native and city, contact details, with whom they
were in contract with as labourers and where they worked. For a few persons, the police had also
collected photographs. Most of those whose details the police had gathered were construction workers,
staying at construction sites. Ms. Uma said that the police were, however, not gathering the details of
students from outside the State as the institutions would have those. Once the police collected all the
data it would collate and categorise them to avoid duplication. The data would be shared with police
across the State. In the city, the police had thus far identified around 10,000 workers, confined mostly to
places that fell under Singanallur, Peelamedu, Kuniamuthur and Podanur police station limits, said Hema
Karunagaran, Deputy Commissioner of Police. Five police personnel, headed by a sub-inspector, were on
the job. They collected, apart from the basic details, information related to their family members in their
native and also their mobile numbers. “This way they could not furnish fake details,” she reasoned. But
she conceded that the police would require time to verify the authenticity of the other details the migrant
workers provided. There was no deadline for completing the task. The police action comes even as the
District Collector issued an order a couple of days ago asking house owners to inform the jurisdictional
police their tenants' details, if they were from outside Tamil Nadu. He asked them citing orders issued
under Section 144 of the Cr.PC. (The Hindu 9/3/12)
1,925 Kashmiri Pandit migrants get jobs in Valley (13)
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government has given jobs to 1,925 Kashmiri Pandit (Hindu) migrants
under the Prime Minister's Relief and Rehabilitation Package announced in 2008. Revenue, Relief and
Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla informed the state legislative assembly Saturday that out of 3,000
posts reserved for Kashmiri migrants, the Service Selection Board has made selection of 1,925
candidates for different category of posts. He said: "Orders have already been issued in favour of 1,922
candidates, of which, 1,287 candidates have so far joined their duties in the Valley." He added that the
matter for selection against 800 posts under reserved categories is under active consideration of the
government. He said: "Transit accommodation has been constructed at various places in Kashmir, adding
that 140 units have been constructed in Vessu (Anantnag district), 65 in Hawl (Pulwama district) and 130
in Baramulla out of a total 495 units to be constructed in the valley. This accommodation is presently

eing utilized by the employees who have been recently appointed under the Prime Minister's Package."
The minister said that the state government has taken up the issue of enhancement of monthly cash
assistance to Kashmiri migrants with the Union government several times and migrant relief has been
enhanced by the Centre from time to time. "In April, 1990 the Kashmiri migrants were getting Rs.500 per
family as monthly cash assistance, and at present due to enhancement from time to time, these migrants
get a monthly Rs.5,000 per family," he said. About 300,000 Kashmiri Pandits had migrated from the
Kashmir valley in 1990 when secessionist militancy erupted there. They were initially lodged in tented
accommodations around Jammu and gradually shifted to tenements. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
had in 2008 announced a Rs.1,618 crore Relief and Rehabilitation package including the return of Pandit
youth to Kashmir. (Times of India 10/3/12)
Refugee on fast to draw CM’s attention (13)
CHENNAI: Seeking J Jayalalithaa’s attention for his release from Poonamallee Special Detention Camp,
Jayamohan, a 29-year-old Lankan refugee, has been fasting for the past 10 days. According to
information trickling out of the camp, Jayamohan began his fast seeking the Chief Minister’s attention on
March 1 and continuing with it despite his deteriorating health. With his pulse rate going down rapidly due
to no intake of food for the past 10 days including water, a doctor who visited the camp in the evening
advised the local authorities to admit him to hospital ‘without any delay.’ Acting on this advice, police
personnel posted at the camp rushed Jayamohan (who was unconscious) to the Government General
Hospital, Chennai, in an ambulance on Saturday evening. According to a three-page letter sent out
through the tahsildar, Jayamohan who is a resident of Mullaithivu was arrested in India in March 2009 for
allegedly being involved in smuggling of medicines to Sri Lanka. He has been lodged in the Poonamallee
Camp for the past two years since 2010. He was also lodged in Chengalpet Special Detention Camp for
about a year in 2009. Jayamohan has sought his release (or relocation to a normal refugee camp) on the
grounds that 12 out of 14 accused in that particular smuggling case were permitted by the state
authorities to live in normal camps, while the same privilege has been denied him. It may be noted that
Jayamohan went on a similar fast last month as well and ended it after the authorities promised to release
him within seven days. However, this did not happen and it has forced Jayamohan to re-launch the
fasting agitation since March 1. Meanwhile, about 25 Lankan inmates at the Chengalpet Special
Detention Camp on Saturday sat on a one-day fast expressing their solidarity with Jayamohan. (NIE
11/3/12)
230,000 people have fled Syria: UN (13)
UN Geneva: The UN refugee agency says 230,000 Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of
violence last year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees' coordinator for Syria says 30,000 people
have already fled to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan and "on a daily basis hundreds of people are still
crossing into neighbouring countries." Panos Moumtzis told reporters in Geneva today that according to
the Syrian Arab Red Crescent at least 200,000 people are also displaced within the country. He says
some 110,000 mostly Iraqi refugees living in Syria are meanwhile reporting increased hardship due to
rising prices for basic goods. Moumtzis says prices for imported goods have "skyrocketed" because of the
devaluation of the Syrian pound. (Zee News 14/3/12)
Myanmar refugees find refuge in city (13)
HYDERABAD: As many as 150 Myanmar nationals have silently made Hyderabad their home over the
last four years. Unable to bear the brutal repression in their country, these marginalized Muslims had no
choice but to head for a dangerous week-long journey through the mountains that involved crossing the
Bangladesh border to reach India for asylum. While they were exploited and even denied citizenship in
their own country, here in Hyderabad their identity remains hidden. There are 500-odd official refugees
living in Hyderabad from across the world but surprisingly, those from Myanmar do not figure in this list.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has not recognized even a single Myanmar
national living in Hyderabad as a refugee so far. While just about 25 of them have been given "asylum
seeker" cards, the rest are non-existent in records. The displaced nationals who have been trying to get
the legal sanctions in vain have been subjected to extortion and harassment because they lack the formal
legal status. Currently, three nationals are facing legal action having been charged under the Foreigner's
Act because they did not have any legal papers. Sources said that the police picked them up while they
were walking on the roads "in a suspicious manner." While court cases are pending against them in
Nampally court and Rajendranagar court, the Myanmar nationals are out on bail. In Hyderabad, they are
concentrated in the Baba Nagar and Kishanbagh areas of the Old City. A Baba Nagar resident Musta
Fizurama, 22, who is working as a construction worker says that living in an alien country has its perils.
Fizurama, recognized as an asylum seeker by UNHCR says that his movements are hugely restricted. "I
prefer not to move around in the city. This is not our village and country. I go to work and come back
home," he says. He is living in a room that accommodates his bare necessities comprising a few rugs, a
couple of bags and a stove with some utensils in a corner. A bulb hangs from a wire in a corner that is
supposed to be used only after dusk. The four-room house sans a white wash where Fizurama lives is
being shared by four families from the same country. Mohammed Alam, 34, another asylum seeker and a
security guard, shares that getting accommodation is their biggest concern. Few days ago, when Alam
was not at home, a local family with whom he was sharing a house beat up his wife and threw her out
along with their three children. "She is not eating since then. She was slapped hard and kicked by a male
member of the family. We want to file a police complaint but we are not sure if the police will help us
because we are not from here," says a distraught Alam who has temporarily moved to his sister's house
and is desperately searching for a room. He rues that if an owner gets a better offer, he evicts tenants like
him anytime. Alam who came here in May 2011 has changed six houses so far. Talking about their home
country, Fatema Begum, 20, another Myanmar national says that sexual harassment is rampant in their
nation. "Women can't walk alone and if they do, they are picked up by the military and raped," she said.
"We cannot use a loudspeaker in the mosque for azaan (prayer call). If we want to marry, we have to pay
the government money worth Rs 40,000 in Indian currency. The government did not even give us
citizenship," said another member insisting that only the Muslim population was targeted. While they are
facing some problems here, Alam said that this is nothing compared to the kind of atrocities they were
exposed to in their country. "Hyderabad is like jannat (paradise). Life in Myanmar was akin to hell. We
could not even sit in a group and talk," he said. They said that every other day refugees are coming here
because Hyderabad is fast becoming a sought after destination. While most of them were living in the
border areas in the north-east like Mizoram initially, they later spread to Jammu, UP, Delhi and
Hyderabad. Of late, people living in UP are moving to Hyderabad because of employment opportunities
and good income. "If a construction worker gets Rs 150 a day in UP, he is getting double the money
here," said Hameeda, 20, whose husband is a daily wage worker. The family of four shifted from UP
about a month back. Sources at the Confederation of Voluntary Associations (Cova), the implementation
partner of UNHCR in Hyderabad, said that negotiations on the issue are going on between the
government of India and UNHCR. Of the total 500-odd refugees in Hyderabad, 90 per cent are from
Somalia while the rest 10 per cent are from Erithria, Sudan, Ethopia, Iran, Iraq, Palestine and Myanmar.
Refugees from Myanmar started coming about four years back. While the Myanmar nationals claim that
there are an estimated 150 living in Hyderabad, sources said it is difficult to find accurate numbers as the
refugees hide their identity for fear of harassment, arrest or deportation. (Times of India 14/3/12)
Mizoram govt agrees to repatriation of Bru refugees (13)
AIZAWL, March 20 (PTI): Mizoram Government, in consultation with major political parties and NGOs,
has agreed to the resumption of repatriation of Bru refugees lodged in the six relief camps in North
Tripura, a senior Home department official said. The official, who attended the meeting of State Home
department officials and representatives of political parties, NGOs and student bodies, in the office of the

Home Minister R Lalzirliana yesterday said reptriation may resume by April. "The meeting agreed to the
resumption of Bru repatriation after the Centre agreed to rehabilitate and resettle the 83 displaced Mizo
families, driven out from Sakhan range in Tripura in 1998," he said. The repatriation of Bru refugees was
stalled during last June as political parties and NGOs demanded rehabilitation of displaced Mizo families
as was done to the repatriated Brus. Though no date was formally fixed for the resumption of repatriation,
the state government thought that it should be conducted before the onset of monsoon, the official added.
(The Assam Tribune 20/3/12)
Refugees Deserve Honour, Dignity: Kashmir BJP (13)
Jammu: The BJP in Kashmir today said that refugees in the state deserved honour, dignity and all the
rights as enjoyed by citizens in other parts of the country. "We remind the NC-Congress coalition here
and the Congress-led UPA at the centre that refugees, too, are human beings and hence deserve
honour, dignity and all the rights enjoyed by citizens in other part of the country", said BJP State president
Shamsher Singh Manhas. Addressing a public gathering under the party’s "Jan Sammelans" at Paloura
near here today, Manhas said, "it is unfortunate that today even after 65 years of Independence, lakhs of
refugees from West Pakistan had not been granted citizenship rights. These helpless people are leading
miserable lives. For decades, they are consistently agitating, holding protests, sitting on hunger strikes
and courting arrests in different parts of the state, he said. These people have been also observing
hunger strikes even in New Delhi, but neither the state government nor the Centre has shown any
concern towards their genuine demands, the BJP Chief asserted. Manhas alleged that the only reason for
not granting full citizenship rights to refugees from west Pakistan was that most of them belonged to a
particular faith and they preferred to settle in Jammu instead of going to other parts of the country. The
BJP state president also said that it was not only refugees from West Pakistan but those from PoK, too,
were seen coming by road for grant of compensation. "Those displaced in 1965 and 1971 also have
grievances. It will not be wrong to say that our Jammu province has became the land of refugees and it is
so because of the indifferent attitude of the government", he alleged. Manhas said that his BJP was
supporting the demands of refugees and would continue to raise their issue at all the appropriate
platforms. BJP state vice-president Bali Bhagat said that the party has been reaching out to the people by
organising such "Jan Sammelans" to educate them about the "anti-people" policies of the state
government. (Outlook 21/3/12)
Sri Lanka intimidating activists: UN rights chief (13)
GENEVA: The UN rights chief warned on Friday against reprisals on Sri Lankan activists, noting "threats
and intimidation" carried out by Colombo in the run-up to a contested war crimes probe vote. The UN
Human Rights Council on Thursday adopted to the consternation of Colombo a US-led resolution
demanding a probe to violations carried out in Sri Lanka's battle against Tamil Tigers separatists during
their war in 2009. The run-up to the vote was marked by "an unprecedented and totally unacceptable
level of threats, harassment and intimidation directed at Sri Lankan activists who had travelled to Geneva
to engage in the debate, including by members of the 71-member official Sri Lankan government
delegation," said Navi Pillay. "There must be no reprisals against Sri Lankan human rights defenders in
the aftermath of yesterday's adoption by the Human Rights Council of a resolution on Sri Lanka," said the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. In Sri Lanka, media outlets have also been running a
"continuous campaign of vilification, including naming and in many cases picturing activists, describing
them as an 'NGO gang' and repeatedly accusing them of treason, mercenary activities and association
with terrorism," said Pillay. "Some of these reports have contained barely veiled incitement and threats of
retaliation," she added. Some were carried by state media outlets or filed by journalists accredited to the
Human Rights Council session through the Sri Lankan mission, noted the UN rights chief. In one
example, a video clip carried on website www.adaderana.lk showed a member of parliament Mervyn Silva
accusing three activists of giving evidence against Sri Lanka at the council. "If you get caught by me in Sri

Lanka, I will break your limbs in public," he warned the three in the clip. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan envoy
to Geneva himself also received an anonymous letter which UN security and the police are investigating,
she said. (Times of India 23/3/12)
Severe malnutrition among migrant Gotti Koya children (13)
HYDERABAD, March 24, 2012: Over four years after the National Commission for the Protection of Child
Rights (NCPCR) order, a number of Gotti Koya tribe children who migrated from conflict zone of
Chhattisgarh to villages in Warangal district continue to suffer from severe malnutrition and lack of access
to safe drinking water and education. A NCPCR team had visited these villages in Tadvai and
Eturunagaram mandals in Warangal district along with adjoining Khammam way back in December 2007
acting on a petition on pathetic conditions of these tribal women and children displaced by extremistpolice
conflict in Chhattisgarh. The NCPCR had suggested a slew of State interventions including
extension of ICDS, health services with focus on pregnant and lactating women and infants, issue of
ration cards and MGNREGA job cards to these hapless tribes. But a recent visit by a study team of
Solidarity Committee for Internally Displaced Persons found that the NCPCR's recommendations were
being implemented partially and appalling conditions prevailed in most of the 30 settlements where about
1000 Gotti Koya families have taken shelter. “Though situation is much better than what it was four years
ago, a little more pro-active response from the government will help them a lot,” said P. Raghu, a member
of team. Other members of the team were V. Rukmini Rao, J. Venkatesh and Badavath Raju. It found that
only fifty per cent of these families possessed ration cards while 40 per cent had MGNREGA job cards. In
the absence of land and access to forest, all of them depended on wage labour. Most of them get work in
chilli farms but for a few months only. For some strange reasons, “which needs to be probed” most of
these job cards are with sarpanches. There were complaints of card holders not getting work and denial
of wages after work. Children were severely malnourished and women were anaemic. Many children
were not immunized while pregnant and lactating women were not getting any attention from public health
department. Just a day before the team's visit, a year-old child of Banjbandh village died of diarrhoea.
With no access to safe drinking water, they survive on muddy water from the local stream. (The Hindu
24/3/12)
Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa allocates Rs 25 crore for Lankan camps (13)
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday announced an allocation of Rs 25.62
crore for improving basic amenities in Lankan Tamil refugee camps. She also announced that the state
government would give scholarships to the children of the refugees who are pursuing higher studies. A
one-time grant of Rs.10, 000 would also be handed to women's self help groups run by the refugees, she
said. The state government has said that Rs.4.33 crore has been allocated for improving drinking water
facilities. The balance Rs.20.66 crore will be used to improve basic amenities in the camps.
(Times of India 25/3/12)
UK watchdog blames NATO for Libyan refugee deaths (13)
Brussels: A leading human rights watchdog has condemned NATO and European coast guards for not
coming to the aid of a boatload of migrants adrift in the Mediterranean Sea during last year’s military
campaign against Libya. A Council of Europe committee said in a report released on Thursday that 63 of
the 72 people on board perished when the boat was allowed to drift for weeks after its engine failed.
Emergency calls were issued and the boat’s location noted but no rescue mission was launched. The
boat eventually washed up on Libyan shores but by then most migrants died from thirst, starvation and
exposure. NATO, whose warships were patrolling the area then, rejected the accusations, saying its ships
rescued hundreds of people. The report called on NATO to launch a probe into the incident. (Mumbai
Mirror 31/3/12)
UN: Fighting in northwestern Pakistan displaces over 100,000 (13)

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND : Military operations against militant groups in northwestern Pakistan have left
more than 100,000 people displaced since the fighting began in late January, the United Nations (UN)
said on Friday. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that roughly
101,160 people, mostly women and children, have been uprooted by the fighting that began on January
20 in Pakistan's Khyber Agency region of the country's Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), which
borders Afghanistan. UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming, during a press conference in Geneva, said
newly arrived refugees claimed that the proximity of fighting and instructions by local authorities have
caused their evacuation of the area. A recent increase in the intensity of the fighting is driving even larger
numbers of families to flee to the safety of Jalozai camp, where UNHCR is registering them and providing
them with basic humanitarian supplies. On average, UNHCR has been registering 2,000 families per day
since mid-March. While the UNHCR, along with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), continue to carry out
humanitarian aid, the UN World Food Program (WFP) has also been providing food aid in Jalozai.
Currently, there are some 62,818 people in Jalozai camp, of which 47,134 were living in the camp before
March 17. Fleming noted that this is now the largest camp for internally displaced people in Pakistan.
In 2009, more than two million people were displaced by similar clashes between Government troops and
militants in northwestern Pakistan. The clashes led to one of the largest displacement crises in the world.
(BNO News) (New Kerala 1/4/12)
Refugee repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram starts April 26: Chidambaram (13)
Aizawl, April 5 : The long-awaited repatriation of 36,000 tribal refugees, who have been staying for the
past 15 years in camps in Tripura after being displaced from their villages in Mizoram, would resume April
26, union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said here Thursday. "The Mizoram government has identified
669 families, comprising around 3,350 refugees, to be repatriated between April 26 and May 15," the
home minister told reporters. He said: "Both the chief ministers of Mizoram and Tripura are committed to
the repatriation process. The refugees would have to leave the camps in Tripura and come back to their
original villages in Mizoram as a part of the repatriation process." Chidambaram warned against any
attempt to disrupt the process. Chidambaram, who arrived here Wednesday for discussions on resuming
the repatriation of refugees, held meetings with Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, senior officials
and Reang tribal leaders to finalise the modalities for repatriation of the migrants. Accompanied by senior
officials including the home ministry's joint secretary (internal security) Dharmendra Sharma and Border
Security Force special director general Arvind Ranjan, the home minister visited Tuipuibari, Damdiai and
other Reang tribal-dominated villages in Mamit district in western Mizoram Thursday to see for himself the
rehabilitation of Reangs. Following ethnic tensions after killing of a Mizo forest official in Mizoram, over
41,000 Reang tribal refugees - locally called Bru - had taken shelter in six camps in north Tripura's
Kanchanpur sub-division in October 1997. A total of 701 tribal families - comprising about 3,585 men,
women and children - were sent back last year. The union home minister also said that 83 Mizo families
from Sakhan Hills in Tripura who were affected would also be provided compensation as agreed. The
Mizoram government has been insisting that a rehabilitation package be provided to 83 Mizo families
who, according to the state government, had been evicted by the Reang tribals from north Tripura in
1983. Mizoram' major NGOs and political parties, including the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA),
in a memorandum to the union home minister demanded that the 1995 electoral roll be the basis for
determining bonafide residents of Mizoram from among the refugees lodged in Tripura camps. "Only
names of those refugees enlisted in the 1995 electoral rolls of Mizoram and their descendants be
repatriated to their villages. This is because large number of Reang tribals from neighbouring states and
adjoining Bangladesh could have infiltrated into the refugees' camps during the past 12 years," the
memorandum said. On the contrary, the Reang tribals strongly opposed the demand of considering 1995
as the cut-off year for the repatriation of refugees. The refugees, lodged in six camps in northern Tripura,
180 km north of Agartala, have also organised a massive protest rally Wednesday and submitted a
memorandum to the union home minister through the Dasda block development officer in north Tripura.

"All the 36,000 refugees are inhabitants of Mizoram. The Mizo political parties and NGOs are trying to
upset the repatriation process by making a new issue of considering 1995 as the cut-off year for the
repatriation," Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) President A. Sawibunga told IANS by
phone from north Tripura. Chidamabarm had visited Tripura refugee camps, held meetings with the
refugee leaders, and Mizoram and Tripura government officials at Kanchanpur in northern Tripura Feb
18. He also held a meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who had requested Chidambaram to
take all steps to repatriate the refugees to their homes in Mizoram. "The long-awaited repatriation of the
Reang refugees had resumed April 12 last year, but the process was stopped as most refugees were
unwilling to return to their homes without a written assurance from the Mizoram government," a Tripura
government official said in Agartala. Uncertainty still prevails over whether all the migrants in Tripura
would return home, the official added. (IANS) (New Kerala 5/4/12)
Chidambaram pledges resettlement of Reangs (13)
AIZAWL: Union home minister P Chidambaram on Thursday assured leaders of the Bru community in
Mizoram that he would do everything to ensure proper resettlement of the refugees from Tripura.
Addressing public meetings at Damdiai and Tuipuibari villages along the Mizoram-Tripura border in Mamit
district, Chidambaram said money would not be a problem for Bru repatriation. "There is no dignity in
refugee camps and everybody should return to Mizoram at least for the sake of dignity," he said. He also
requested the Bru community in Mizoram to spread the 'gospel' of repatriation living in Tripura relief
camps to return to Mizoram. Meanwhile, the Bru Coordination Committee (BCC) submitted a
memorandum to the home minister in Damdiai appealing to him for extension of the period of free ration
given to repatriated Brus for two years. The BCC memorandum, signed by general secretary Elvis
Chorkhy, also urged the minister to establish the Bru Migrant Facilitation Cell as proposed by the state
government and also to start Special Development Project in the Bru inhabited areas of the state. Earlier,
Chidambaram told media persons at Raj Bhavan in Aizawl that the fourth phase of Bru repatriation will
commence on April 26 with 669 Bru families, already identified by the state government officials, returning
from relief camps. He said that 83 families displaced from Tripura's Sakhan range after being driven out
to Mizoram by Brus in 1998 would be rehabilitated simultaneously with the repatriated Brus. NGO officials
also submitted a memorandum urging the Centre to launch the fourth phase of Bru repatriation only after
rehabilitation of the displaced Mizos and destruction of relief camps in North Tripura after the Bru
refugees are repatriated. (Times of India 6/4/12)
Nagaland forms STF to detect illegal migrants (13)
Kohima: In view of the reported move by some NGOs issuing identity cards to members of a certain
community in and around Dimapur to detect illegal migrants, the Nagaland government on Saturday said
it had constituted Special Task Forces to identify such people. The NGOs, however, criticised the
government saying it was sleeping all these years while the problem of illegal migrants grew unchecked.
In a recent notification, the home department asked the district administrations to form STF to detect and
deport foreigners who entered Nagaland illegally violating the norms of Foreigners Act 1946, Chief
Secretary Lalthara said. Lalthara said in a statement that there were reports that certain NGOs decided to
screen people belonging to a particular community to identify illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and
issue identity cards to those found to be bona fide Indian citizens through the screening process. The
intention of the NGOs might be good, but, except the government's law enforcing agencies, none had the
legal authority to launch such a programme, he said. However, the chief secretary said the civil societies
can assist the government in detecting illegal migrants. A network of civil society groups yesterday said
government 'inaction' on the issue had forced them to detect Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in and
around Dimapur. (Zee News 7/4/12)
PM urged to help Pakistani Hindu refugees (13)

Jaipur, April 7 : A voluntary group working for Pakistani refugees in India has requested Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to raise the problems of Hindus living in Pakistan with visiting President Asif Ali Zardari
who is coming to India Sunday, a representative said. The Seemant Lok Sangathan (SLS) Saturday
submitted a memorandum to the prime minister's office and drew attention to the alleged religious
persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. "Till date, this migration is continuing, in spite of the fencing of the
whole border since the 1990s. These people are coming to India with valid documents like passport and
visa. After coming to India, they apply for the residential permission to stay in India," Hindu Singh Sodha,
president, Seemant Lok Sangathan, told IANS. Most of them had settled in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi,
Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. "These people have requested the Indian government that due to
religious persecution in Pakistan, they do not want to go back," said Sodha. He also requested Zardari to
look into these issues seriously. Zardari will be on a six-hour visit to the national capital and Ajmer's
revered shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Sunday. (IANS) (New Kerala 7/4/12)
Over 180,000 people displaced in Pak offensive against militants in Kyber Agency: UN (13)
Islamabad, Apr 14 : Over 180,000 people have been displaced by the Pakistan government's security
operation to target militants in the Khyber Agency in north-west Pakistan, a UN agency has said.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 85 percent of
the registered residents chose to stay with friends, relatives or in rented accommodation rather than in the
in the Jalozai camp. "Significant numbers of new arrivals are approaching UNHCR at the Jalozai camp for
the internally displaced, which is located near the city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province," a
UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said. The UNHCR's response is part of an inter-agency effort
supporting the government's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). About 72 registration
desks have been established in Jalozai to track the influx of new arrivals. The operation is currently
registering about 10,000 new arrivals per day. The PDMA is set to open two additional registration points,
which will serve as hubs for granting humanitarian relief to victims. The UNHCR has distributed over
37,000 humanitarian relief kits, including items such as sleeping mats and jerry cans and over 4,000
additional tents have been erected in Jalozai to house the new arrivals. Other UN agencies are providing
assistance in the areas of mother and child heath, child protection, water and sanitation, primary
education, distribution of food rations and vaccinations. (ANI) (New Kerala 14/4/12)
UN chief says 'one million people displaced in Syrian uprising' (13)
Geneva, Apr 15 : United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has said that at least one million people have been
displaced in Syria during a 13-month uprising aimed at unseating President Bashar-al Assad's
government. "We are very much concerned that at least one million people have been displaced inside
Syria and there are still many Syrian refugees in neighboring countries," Ban said. His remark's came
after a meeting with peace envoy Kofi Annan in Geneva, The Courier Mail reports. According to the
report, Ban said UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos will host a meeting in the Swiss city next Friday to
begin the task of giving aid to Syria's needy. "I hope that (it) will be able to mobilise the necessary
humanitarian resources so that all needy people will be able to get the necessary humanitarian
assistance," the report quoted him, as saying. (ANI) (New Kerala 15/4/12)
Riots in city a revelation to foreigners (13)
HYDERABAD: Born in Burma and working in Thailand, concern for refugees has always been uppermost
in Thawar’s mind. “I hail from Kachin state of North Burma where the fight between the ethnic population
and the Burmese government military forces has been a part of our daily routine. The conflict arises due
to the demands of the ethnic people to form a government in the divisions controlled by them,
emphasizing the need for federal democracy. The religious conflict I saw in India is something new to
me,” says the peace worker who was in Hyderabad during the riots which broke out in old city. He is part
of a group of 20 international students, who are on a visit to the country as part of the School of Peace

Program started by Max Ediger who lives in Cambodia and works for the Interfaith Cooperation Forum.
The visitors, all aged between 20 and 30, are drawn from different countries, many of them first or second
generation witnesses to conflict in their home countries. “The program started in 2006 with a gathering in
Bangalore. Every year, we take in 20 participants and the funds are made available through donors who
are interested in giving to the cause of global peace. The process of selection is restricted to word-ofmouth
publicity and encourages students and activists who are already working in this direction,” says
Max who has designed the 14-week program, which focuses on conflicts arising out of identities. “The
problems faced by ethnic people and tribals in India are similar to those faced by native Americans. The
rights of the indigenous people are the first to go in the name of industry-centred development,” observes
Erica from New Mexico, USA. She also admits that indigenous people also share similar cultural values
across geographical locations. The participants are on a visit to the four southern states of the country
and visited regions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu populated by specific ethnic groups and tribals. Though the
religious divide is obvious in India, Khamsa, a student from Laos, observes that though India is the
homeland of Buddhism, there is little evidence to suggest the fact. Hyderabad though, put most of the
students at ease. “The pace here is frenetic but there is hardly any inkling of religious animosity in the city
though we hear there was a conflict,” says Rachel from United Kingdom. (NIE 16/4/12)
Delegation led by Sushma Swaraj to visit Sri Lanka (13)
New Delhi, Apr 16 : A Joint Parliamentary delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma
Swaraj, is visiting Sri Lanka from April 16 to 21. The delegation consists of Members of Parliament from
the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha nominated by various political parties, including the BJD, BJP, CPI (M),
INC, JD (U) and SP. The visit is being organised in the context of a commitment made by the External
Affairs Minister in Parliament in response to suggestions from Members of the Parliament during
Parliamentary debates on the situation in Sri Lanka. The delegation is expected to travel to different parts
of Sri Lanka, including its northern, eastern, central and western provinces. The primary focus of the
delegation will, however, be in the areas recovering from thirty years conflict in the North and East of Sri
Lanka where development assistance projects for the resettlement and rehabilitation of Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) and reconstruction of areas affected by the conflict are being undertaken by
the Government of India. The delegation is expected to start its programme in Northern Sri Lanka with a
visit to the IDP Camp at Menik Farm. The delegation is scheduled to visit Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Jaffna,
Kankesanthurai, Kalutara, Dickoya, Hatton and Batticaloa where Indian assistance projects, including
those related to the development of rail and port infrastructure, connectivity and transportation, education,
public health, housing, de-mining, vocational training and economic revival, are under implementation.
The delegation is also scheduled to meet a wide cross-section of parliamentarians, Pradesiya Sabha
members, civil society and community leaders in the Northern Province. In Colombo, the delegation is
scheduled to call on the President of Sri Lanka and meet the Ministers of External Affairs and Economic
Development. An interaction with the Leader of the House and Sri Lankan Parliamentarians has also
been arranged. The delegation will separately meet the Leader of the Opposition and representatives of
the Tamil National Alliance, the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress, the Ceylon Workers Congress and other
upcountry political parties. (ANI) (New Kerala 17/4/12)
Plea to keep migrants out (13)
Shillong, April 12: A conglomerate of social organisations today petitioned the Meghalaya government to
protest against the enrolment of migrants in the electoral rolls. In a letter to chief minister Mukul Sangma,
the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi-Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep
National Youth Front (HNYF) and Synjuk Seng Samla Shnong (SSSS), expressed vehement opposition
to the enrolment of members belonging to the floating population of the state. “As a tribal state, we feel
that this legal assimilation of non-tribal population in our state is posing a danger to the indigenous people
and defeats the very purpose of our statehood. We are not against the enrolment of genuine non-tribal

people who have shared their history with the people of the state and our race. But we are against the
enrolment of any floating population in our state,” the petition stated. Criticising the Election Commission,
the organisations said, the “politics” of the Election Commission in being too lenient about the process of
voter enrolment is a “systematic and intentional elimination of the tribal population in the state”. “It is
colluding with the forces of silent invasion at the cost of the future of the indigenous people. This is also a
politics of appeasing the political class, which we, as concerned NGOs, will not tolerate,” the petition
added. Further, the organisations alleged that the manner of enrolment was done without minimal
screening of the antecedents of the applicants. Targeting Bangladeshi migrants, the organisations also
said that Meghalaya, sharing a porous border with Bangladesh, faces security threat from illegal
migration. “Such easy availability of voter enrolment facilities as done by the authorities will not only
change the demographic structure of our state, but it will also put the country’s security at risk. It has
come to our notice that because of much dissimilarity, the Bangladeshis first migrate to other states like
Assam or Tripura after obtaining any document for identification before migrating to our state in the guise
of migrant labourers,” the organisations said. On Nepali citizens, the organisations stated that apart from
the existing population, many are still migrating to Meghalaya on a daily basis. “It is found that even these
people (Nepali citizens) are easily enrolled as voters in our state. This is also posing a great danger to the
future of our own people,” they added. The organisations also gave time to the state government till April
19 to undertake corrective measures. (Telegraph 13/4/12)
Hundreds of Myanmar nationals seek refugee status (13)
New Delhi, April 21 : Making pavements as their homes, over 500 hundred Myanmar nationals, among
them women and children, have camped for the past 12 days near the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office here, demanding a refugee status. "Life is not easy for
refugees like us, who fled our country... at the age of 18... I have faced torture, extortion, trauma and
starvation," Dilwana Begum, who works as a maid in Jammu, told IANS. "We are at least happy that
unlike in our own country or Bangladesh, in India we feel safe and are not harassed for being Muslims.
But the UNHCR is not paying heed to our plight." Since April 9, Begum and over 500 people like her
belonging to Burmese Rohingya community, a Muslim community hounded out from Myanmar (formerly
Burma), have made temporary sheds of polythene sheets by the rear compound wall of the UNHCR
office in B-2 Block of Vasant Vihar in south Delhi, demanding refugee cards. "We were issued a asylum
seeker card in August 2011 by the UNHCR, but it deprives us from lot of facilities that a refugee would
get. We want a refugee card. Our children need education, better living conditions like water to drink and
toilets. But we are deprived of this as we don't have a refugee card," said Zia-ul-Rahman, a refugee who
left Myanmar two years ago and now lives in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. The refugees say that for the
past 12 days, most of them did menial jobs to get food and water. "We are at their doorsteps seeking
help, but the UNHCR has not even reached us to see how we are managing here with small children and
old people, hope they know the real meaning of human rights," lamented Abdul Hafeez, who stays at the
camp. Hafeez speaks very little Hindi, and through an interpreter told IANS: "I lost my parents four years
ago as the Burmese Junta shot them saying that they did not support the military regime. I had to
discontinue my education. Like other refugees from Burma and countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, we
need a refugee status so that I can continue my studies." Another refugee, Mamoon Rafeeq who works
as teacher in Jammu said that the Rohingyas have been sidelined in Myanmar as they are a Muslim
community. "Unlike other Myanmarese refugees, Rohingya has been sidelined because we are Muslims.
Other Myanmar refugees who are Christians and Buddhists are given refugee card," Rafeeq claimed.
However, the UNHCR officials say that they discussed the issue with the refugees four to five times, but
were not persuaded by their arguments. The officials said they will now meet 10 representatives of the
community on May 20. "We don't use the term Rohingya - we refer to this group as Muslims from northern
Rakhine state. In India, there is no national legal framework for refugees, and because of this there are

different approaches to different groups of people," Nayana Bose, associate external relations officer
UNHCR, told IANS. "We have already registered them as asylum seekers and issued identity cards. The
card is similar to the refugee card as it helps prevent harassment, arbitrary arrests, detention and
expulsion," Bose said. "Moreover, we are having an on-going dialogue with this group, and for their own
safety and well-being, we have asked them to go back to their residential places in India. We have offered
to meet their representatives in a more structured manner, to see how best we can assist them, as we do
with all groups of refugees and asylum seekers," Bose added. (New Kerala 21/4/12)
BJP slams CM for views on refugee status to migrants (13)
GUWAHATI: BJP on Friday has alleged that chief minister Tarun Gogoi's suggestion that refugee status
be given to those who fled from their countries due to persecution, atrocities or violence, would trigger an
influx of migrants from Bangladesh to Assam. BJP spokesperson Siddhartha Bhattacharya said at a
press conference here that the timing of the suggestion has made the saffron party suspicious of Gogoi's
motive. "The view expressed by the chief minister is only going to aggravate the problem of infiltration in
the state. We suspect that Gogoi is trying to play vote bank politics by airing such views. Such moves will
not help the state," Bhattacharya blamed. On April 20, Gogoi submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh which said: "Those persons who were Indian citizens at the time of Partition and were
subsequently compelled to leave their homes in the new country due to persecution, atrocities and
insecurity of life and property, deserve humanitarian consideration." Bhattacharya argued that there is
legislation to deal with people who had come to India from other countries due to persecution, violence
and atrocities. He added that India has always given shelter to people who were forced to leave their
countries. "The chief minister's suggestion of 'humanitarian consideration' for migrants will encourage
even those in Bangladesh who haven't suffered any persecution or violence to infiltrate into Assam,"
Bhattacharya said. BJP, however, maintained that it still espouses the cause of treating Hindus who fled
to India from Bangladesh as refugees. "BJP has always supported Hindus who were forced to leave
Bangladesh. Our party has also supported refugees sheltered in India from other countries. But we do not
see any logic behind this suggestion of the chief minister at a time when there are laws in place to deal
with such issues," Bhattacharya said. (Times of India 28/4/12)
Empowerment of minority Tamils: India's intervention sought (13)
Congress MPs, who were part of the delegation that visited Sri Lanka recently, have demanded India's
intervention in ensuring political empowerment of minority Tamils by implementing the historic 13th
Amendment, holding talks with various political parties there. Four Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu also
asked India to demand from Sri Lanka urgent steps to implement recommendations of the Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) with a 'clear time-bound programme'. Rajya Sabha
member E.M. Sudarshana Natchiappan, Lok Sabha members M. Krishnasamy, N.S.V. Chithan and
Manicka Tagore made these demands in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after they returned
last week. "The political empowerment through implementation of 13th Amendment of the Constitution of
Sri Lanka made on Rajiv Gandhi's effort, by holding talks with TNA and other Tamil political parties are in
urgency to create the confidence of the Tamils to return to motherland," they said in the letter. 13th
Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution envisages devolution of powers to Tamil-dominated northern
and eastern provinces. They also said Sri Lanka should take urgent steps for implementation of LLRC
recommendations with clear time bound programme. "The Sri Lanka government should send message
to the world that normalcy is restored by replacing Army by Police," the MPs said. They also said
displaced Tamil civilians and refugees in India should be enabled to get back their houses and lands left
in Sri Lanka by sending a team of survey and settlement officials from India and identify the properties
and publish for claim from the concerned refugees. "Fertile lands and fishermen villages of the north and
east were taken away by the Military as 'Security Zone.' This should be handed over to owners and allow
them to economically develop the country," the letter said. The MPs also recommended establishment of

centres for rehabilitation of widows, mentally challenged children and differently-abled persons and
children. "India's Human resources department should send teachers for English, Science and
Mathematics for schools with the cooperation of Tamil Nadu government as Tamil knowing teachers are
needed," they said. The MPs also suggested that Indian Universities can have an understanding with
institutions in these areas for higher studies. (Asian Age 29/4/12)
Fund for facilities at refugee camps (13)
DINDIGUL, May 2, 2012 : The State Government had sanctioned Rs.76 lakhs for creating infrastructure
at Sri Lankan refugee camps in the district, said Minister for Power R. Viswanathan. He was distributing
laptops to village administrative officers and priceless sewing machines to Sri Lankan refugees at the
Collectorate here on Tuesday. More facilities will be created in all the seven camps for creating better
living place for the refugees. Sewing machines will ensure sustainable income generation activities for
them. Basic amenities would be improved and infrastructure created, he added. The main objective of
providing laptops to village administrative officers was to expedite official work and speed up
administrative process. Special importance was given to the Revenue Department, which was the
backbone of the government and has close contact with the public, particularly poor and the
downtrodden. Moreover, a majority of the schemes was implemented through the Revenue Department
only. Similarly, the role of VAOs was important as they acted as a bridge between people and the
government. They were the carriers of the government schemes to people. A total of 42 VAOs was
appointed in the district enhancing the total VAOs in the district to 232, the minister pointed out. Modern
gadgets will simplify the workload of VAOs. At the same time, responsibility of officials will be increased
manifold, owing to implementation of many government schemes. Officials should realise their
responsibility and take government schemes to maximum beneficiaries, he advised. In his special
address, Collector N. Venkatachalam said that refugees should avail themselves of schemes for their
uplift. Laptops worth Rs.28.5 lakhs and price less sewing machines worth Rs.34.38 lakhs were given to
Sri Lankan refugees. (The Hindu 2/5/12)
Reang refugee repatriation from Tripura to Mizoram begins (13)
Agartala/Aizawl, May 4 : The long-awaited repatriation of Reang tribal refugees from Tripura to
neighbouring Mizoram began Friday but there is uncertainty over whether all the migrants will return
home, officials here said. The repatriation of the Reangs, sheltered in six Tripura camps for the past 15
years, ran into rough weather Friday itself, with the majority of inmates declining to return to their homes
in Mizoram "unless they got written promises of their safety, security and livelihood"."On the request of
Mizoram, the Tripura government had arranged 22 vehicles to carry around 600 Reang refugees to their
villages in western Mizoram's Mamit district. But most refugees were reluctant to go to their homes before
getting written guarantees from Mizoram," Sandeep R. Rathore, sub-divisional magistrate of Kanchanpur
in north Tripura told IANS by phone. "Of the scheduled 600 refugees, only 37 went to their villages in
Mizoram Friday after a lot of day-long persuasion by the Tripura and Mizoram government officials,"
Rathore said. He added: "The refugees are adamant not to go back home unless their 18-point charter of
demands are fulfilled by the Mizoram and the central governments." The demands include a written
agreement between Mizoram, Tripura and the central government and refugee leaders, ensuring the
livelihood of Reang tribals in Mizoram and the constitution of a monitoring committee to supervise the
settlement of home-bound refugees, sheltered in Tripura for the past 15 years. A Tripura government
official said: "A team of Mizoram government officials led by Koarta sub-divisional magistrate Benzamin
Lalzama has been camping in Kanchanpur since Wednesday to take back the refugees. They also held
meetings with Tripura's district officials. The Tripura government would provide all logistical support for
the purpose." The repatriation of the next batch of refugees to Mizoram is scheduled May 8. "A total of
669 tribal families comprising about 3,655 men, women and children are scheduled to be sent back in five
phases from April 26," North Tripura district magistrate Parshanta Kumar told IANS by phone. Meanwhile,

Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana said in Aizawl that preparations to receive the Reang tribal
refugees have been made by the Mamit district administration. "We want all the genuine residents of
Mizoram to return. The state government and the people of Mizoram would welcome them," Lalzirliana
told reporters. The minister regretted that influenced by some anti-repatriation leaders, the refugees were
not willing to return to Mizoram and created problems by making lame excuses. Since October 1997, over
41,000 Reang tribal refugees, locally called Bru, have taken shelter in six camps in north Tripura's
Kanchanpur sub-division, adjacent to western Mizoram. They fled their villages after ethnic clashes with
the majority Mizos over the killing of a Mizo forest official. The stalled repatriation process got a boost
after union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's visit to Tripura and Mizoram recently and a series of
meetings with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. (IANS)
(New Kerala 4/5/12)
EU wants fair trail for Sri Lanka detainees (13)
Colombo, May 6 : The European Union (EU) Sunday called for a fair trial for suspected Tamil Tiger rebels
held in Sri Lankan prisons. They should be either charged or released, said Jean Lambert, chair of the
European parliament delegation for relations with countries in South Asia. Hundreds of suspected Tamil
Tiger rebels and political prisoners are currently lodged in Sri Lankan jails, some of whom have not faced
trial or a charge years or months after they were arrested, Xinhua reported quoting Tamil political parties
in Sri Lanka. Asked about former Sri Lankan Army chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is in prison and has
sought bail, Lambert said the EU had wanted even him to be given a fair trial. Fonseka was imprisoned
over several charges just after he lost the presidential election in 2010 against incumbent President
Mahinda Rajapaksa. Lambert also said that the fact that some war displaced people are still in temporary
camps or shelters is of concern to the European parliament. Lambert led a delegation to Sri Lanka last
week and had talks with Sri Lankan officials in Colombo and in the eastern parts of the country. (IANS)
(New Kerala 6/5/12)
Vasant Vihar bristles over refugee problem (13)
NEW DELHI: A crisis of sorts is brewing in south Delhi. For nearly a month, 1000-odd asylum seekers
from Myanmar have been camping near the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) at
Vasant Vihar. TOI had first reported the matter on April 20. While on the one hand, the asylum seekers
are living in miserable conditions, on the other hand Vasant Vihar resident's association says the
refugees have ruined the peace and tranquility of the area and are "polluting the streets". On Monday
morning, the refugees, huddled together on a pavement and side lane near the UNHCR, complained they
were unable to access the public toilet in the area. On the same day Vasant Vihar Welfare Association
held a march demanding the removal of the Burmese asylum seekers. Women from the association said
if their demands were not met they would gherao the UNHCR office and stage a dharna in front of the
home minister's bungalow. The Burmese asylum seekers are from the Rohingya community, who are
predominantly Muslim. They have sought refuge in India after being persecuted in Myanmar. They now
live in abject poverty here. While they have been given asylum-seeker cards, they have for long been
demanding refugee status. "Without refugee status, it is impossible to survive in India. Our children don't
get admission to school; we don't get healthcare facilities. We are leading a hand-to-mouth existence and
our people are begging on the streets," said one of the asylum-seekers. "Over the last one month, while
camping on the streets of Vasant Vihar two women delivered babies," said Zia-ur Rahman, an asylumseeker.
Several have also fallen sick. Moved by the plight of the refugees, Nawab Zafar Jung, a member
of the national monitoring committee for minority education, has provided them with a large quantity of
food in order to help them sustain themselves. He says the government needs to find an immediate
solution to their problem. "We feel sorry for the plight of these refugees, but sheltering them is the job of
the government and not that of the residents of this area," says Dr Gautam Vohra, president of Vasant
ViharWelfare Association. (Times of India 6/5/12)

Mizoram govt to repatriate Bru refugees (13)
Aizawl: Mizoram government would go ahead with the fourth phase of repatriation of Bru refugees from
the relief camps in North Tripura even as only seven families have returned till date, state home minister
R Lalzirliana said here today. Lalzirliana said that attempt would be made to bring back 79 families from
Hajacherra relief camp on Friday (May 11). While 669 families were proposed to be brought back during
the fourth phase of repatriation scheduled to be conducted during April 26 to May 15. Officials said that
the proposal to bring back 147 families from Kaskau relief camp on May 15 would be reconsidered as
only six families out of 149 families proposed to be brought back returned to Mizoram on May eight.
Officials, assigned to conduct the repatriation process would be leaving for the relief camps today while
some officials would also be posted at the two facilitation camps at Kanhmun and Zomuantlang, the two
villages along the Mizoram-Tripura border tomorrow. (Zee News 10/5/12)
JNU students hold protest demanding basic rights for Myanmar refugees (13)
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union on Thursday took to the streets demanding that the
government as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) take immediate
steps to address the “pathetic and abysmal” condition of Myanmar refugees in Delhi. The JNUSU
presented a memorandum to the High Commissioner who they said has promised to “negotiate with the
government to grant refugee status to the Burmese.” The refugee camp was earlier located behind the
UNHCR office in Vasant Vihar. It has now been shifted to the premises of a mosque in Sultangarhi in the
Vasant Kunj-Mahipalpur area. The refugees who had got onto a bus to reach the protest venue, were
stopped from leaving the camp premises by police. Only a few members were able to reach the protest
venue. In Vasant Vihar, students were not allowed to reach the UNHCR office. “We could not allow them
to protest because Section 144 is imposed in the area,” said a senior police officer. The refugees said
they used whatever little space they had in the camp for cooking and sanitary purposes. As a result,
diseases like diarrhoea and malaria were spreading, apart from several cases of dehydration. Women
and children were the worst affected. JNUSU President Sucheta De said, “It is indeed shocking that
neither the UNHCR nor the government is showing even the minimum humanitarian concerns to address
the basic needs of these refugees. JNUSU has been visiting the refugee camp and trying to organise
some relief by collecting funds from the JNU community. But it is an enormous task and public bodies
have to be pressurised to address the urgent needs of these refugees.”. (Indian Express 11/5/12)
Police stop JNU students from entering Burmese camp (13)
New Delhi: Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Saturday claimed that they were stopped
by police from extending help to the Burmese refugees who are currently camping near Sultan Ghari
mosque in South Delhi. JNU Students’ Union President Sucheta De said, “We had collected money from
the campus and wanted to distribute some goods we had bought with it.” A member of the JNUSU said
they had collected collected Rs 30,000 to help the refugees and also set up a medical camp. “They are
living under sheets stretched out in these thickets,” he said. DCP (South) Chhaya Sharma said, “We are
not letting the students enter the refugee camp due to security reasons.” Meanwhile, Leader of the
Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra demanded “expulsion of Bangladeshi citizens
expelled by the Myanmar Army, and who had come here illegally”. “The government should take action.
Otherwise, the city will see another influx of Bangladeshi migrants,” he said. Members of the Vasant Vihar
Welfare Association have also been protesting against the alleged inaction of United Nations High
Commission for Refugees in shifting the Burmese refugees from South Delhi. (Indian Express 14/5/12)
Refugees from Myanmar to be sent back in fair manner: Chidambaram (13)

New Delhi: Refugees from Myanmar will be sent back in a fair manner as per laid guidelines and without
any religious discrimination, Government on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha after an uproar in Parliament
over the issue. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Balbir Punj (BJP) sought to know who was behind
bringing around 4,000 Myanmar refugees in the national capital and what the government was doing to
evict them, while some other members raised objections to their ill-treatment as they belonged to a
particular community. Replying to the concerns, Home Minister P Chidambaram admitted in the Upper
House that refugees from Myanmar, who have been living in various cities of India for some time, must
not have converged before the UNHRC office in the national capital on April 7 without an orgnaised effort,
an issue which is being probed. Chidambaram said the refugees have been persuaded to go back to
places in India from where they had come before April 7 and "except a handful few, all of them have gone
back" to those places. He said that as far sending back the foreigners, who are living in India without valid
visas, is concerned, the government has framed guidelines, which include verification of such people from
the Foreigner Registration Office (FRO). "They will have to go back," he said adding that these refugees
have neither sought asylum nor have they any valid visa or applied for the same. Punj, however, objected
to their being allowed to remain in the country asking, "Is this country a guest house" The Home Minister
said 700 to 800 families from Myanmar settled in places like Hyderabad, Punjab, Jammu, Meerut, Delhi
and Khurja gathered before the UNHRC office on April 7 due to some organised effort to demand
Refugee Cards. He said that perhaps they were misguided by some people that this will help get them
facilities available to refugees. (DNA 16/5/12)
Chidambaram denies bias against Myanmar refugees (13)
New Delhi, May 16 : Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday denied any discrimination
against Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar on the basis of religion and said they would be dealt
with as per guidelines. Speaking during zero hour after some members expresed concern over the
refugees who have been camping in the national capital the past few weeks, the home minister said they
had come from different parts of India and most have been sent back. He said the refugees had come
from different cities of the country, and have been in India for a while. Nearly 700-800 families, "due to
some organised effort, converged outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
in the belief that refugee cards from the United Nations would give them some benefit", he added. "Except
a handful, all of them have gone back," the home minister said. After some members raised concern
about the refugees being ill-treated on the basis of religion, the home minister outrightly denied the claim
and said due procedure would be followed. He, however, added that the refugees have neither sought
asylum nor have they any valid visa or applied for it. Hundreds of Rohingyas from Myanmar were
camping near the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in the national capital,
demanding refugee status. Locals had, however, complained against them as they were illegally
occupying public space in the area. (IANS) (New Kerala 16/5/12)
Issue of Myanmar refugees reaching Capital rocks Parliament (13)
New Delhi, May 16 : Issue of how 4,000 refugees from Myanmar could illegally reach Delhi and stage a
sit-it before the UN Human Rights Commission offices here created a furore in Parliament today. Union
Home Minister P Chidambaram, however, assured the MPs that the refugees had been persuaded to
return to the places where they had come from. The Minister added that the protest issue before the
UNHRC was being looked into. In Council of States, the matter was raised by Balbir Punj of the BJP
immediately after the Question Hour, while Sumitra Mahajan of the same party demanded an explanation
under the Rule 377 as a matter of urgent public importance in the House of the People. Giving details, Mr
Chidambaram said about 700-800 people had come to India from Myanmar during the past couple of
years and earlier and settled in various parts of the country. On April 7, this year, "due to some organised
efforts" the refugees converged in front of the UNHRC office here demanding Refugee Cards which
would give them some benefits. Mr Chidambaram said they had been persuaded to return to the places

where they had come from. He assured the House that 'guidelines' would apply to the refugees and each
case would be examined on its merit. Opposition BJP put the government in a tight spot on the issue of
thousands of Myanmar refugees occupying DDA land in Delhi and demanded to know how could they
manage to come to India without any valid visas and stay in the national capital. (UNI) (new Kerala
17/5/12)
Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union bandh passes off peacefully (13)
ITANAGAR: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (Aapsu) called a 24-hour state-wide bandh on
Friday to protest against the state government's failure to fulfill its demand for a white paper on the state's
financial position. The union had also demanded improvement of law and order, appointment of an
independent home minister, early solution to the decade-old border row between Arunachal and Assam
and early settlement of the Chakma and Hajong refugees issue. The bandh hit life throughout the state as
business establishments, educational institutions, private and central government offices remained
closed. Attendance in state government offices also remained poor. Other than a few state transport
buses plying on roads with police security, no other vehicles, private or public, were seen on the road.
The bandh, which began at five in the morning, remained peaceful throughout the state barring a few
stray incidents of stone pelting by bandh activists at Naharlagun, capital complex, SP Hibu Tamang said.
The Aapsu had called the bandh in protest against the state government's failure to fulfill its five-point
charter if demands including white paper on the state's financial position from the government. The other
demands of the union includes, improvement in the law and order, appointment of an independent home
minister, early solution to thborder row between Arunachal and Assam and early settlement of Chakma
and Hajong refugees issue. (Times of India 19/5/12)
India home to nearly 2.85 lakh refugees (13)
NEW DELHI: India is home to nearly 2.85 lakh refugees including 1.05 lakh state-less people (including
Tibetans) living in different parts of the country. The list of number of refugees - as disclosed by the home
ministry -- shows that 83,484 of the total 2,84,746 refugees in the country are from Bangladesh followed
by 69,544 from Sri Lanka, 19,115 from Afghanistan and 6,887 from Myanmar. Sharing these details in
Lok Sabha, minister of state for home affairs Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday, "The ministry of home
affairs has issued guidelines to deal with foreigners who claim to be refugees. These guidelines provide
for the grant of long term visa that permits them to take up any employment in private sector or undertake
studies in any academic institution." He, however, in his written response to a Parliament question,
clarified that the benefits these guidelines were not available to foreigners who had come to India due to
economic reasons. The list shows that there are 12 refugees from the US, six from UK, 25 from Iran, 8
from China, 6 from South Korea and 3 each from Germany, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia and Iraq.
Besides, four refugees are from Singapore, two from Norway and one each from France, Canada, Japan
and Philippines. (Times of India 23/5/12)
Take up issue of persecution: NHRC tells Myanmar (13)
New Delhi: The NHRC has asked its Myanmar counterpart to take up with their government the issue of
migration from their country to India due to reported fear of systematic persecution at the hands of the
ruling junta. NHRC's concerns about the issue were flagged during a meeting yesterday with a visiting
delegation of Myanmar National Human Rights Commission led by its Chairman Win Mra. Commission
Chairperson Justice KG Balakrishnan and members interacted with the visiting delegates. Win assured
NHRC that he would take up the matter with his government for consideration of action on the issue. It
has been reported that refugees from Myanmar take shelter in India due to the alleged fear of extensive
and systematic persecution by the ruling junta. It is not the first time that national human rights institutions
have shown interest in the burning issues of neighbouring countries. During a visit to Dhaka in 2010, the
NHRC chairpeson has brought to notice the matter of several neglected Indian prisoners in Bangladesh

prisons, languishing even after serving their sentence. Following the intervention of Ministry of External
Affairs, 59 prisoners were freed. (Zee News 25/5/12)
9,000 displaced in Somalia violence (13)
Nairobi, May 26 : At least 9,200 people have been displaced in a fierce battle raging between the coalition
forces and the insurgents near the Somali capital, the UN refugee agency said here Saturday. The
fighting erupted in Afgooye, a stronghold of the Al-Shabaab insurgent group, some 30 km from
Mogadishu. People have fled to Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle and Lower Juba regions to avoid the
fighting, the UNHCR said. Africa Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia said that its forces and the
Somali Army have secured all major roads leading in and out of Afgooye town, Xinhua reported. (IANS)
(New Kerala 26/5/12)
Lankan taken to camp after 20 years (13)
CHENNAI: More than 20 years after he landed in India and registered himself with the Mandapam
refugee camp, Balu alias Jayabalan, a Sri Lankan national, has been taken to a special camp at
Chengalpet, his wife has complained to the Tamil Nadu government. According to J Clemency, her
husband Balu reached Rameswaram from Killinochi by a boat in January 1992. He got himself duly
registered with the Mandapam refugee camp, and was later sent to a camp near Coimbatore. She
married Balu at Tiruchendur in October 1999, and it was registered at a church in Tirupur in October
2000. They have two children now. Since 2000, Balu was working with a knit-wear unit in Tirupur, and in
2009 the family shifted to Palani where he was doing business. Clemency said Balu was taken by force
by a group of persons at Palani, who claimed that he had cheated them. Later, on coming to know that he
had been lodged in jail, she got him released on bail in February this year. While he was walking out of
prison, the Q-Branch personnel arrested him and sent him to the Chengalpet special camp. Clemency
said that it was unfair to detain her husband under the Foreigners Act when he had married an Indian.
Pointing out that the arrest has come after 20 years, she requested the public secretary to revoke the
order of preventive detention and set him at liberty. (Times of India 28/5/12)
UN warns of global displacement over next ten years (13)
New York, June 1 : The number of displaced persons worldwide will significantly grow over the next ten
years due to factors such as conflict, natural disasters and climate change, according to the flagship
publication of the United Nations refugee agency, launched on Thursday, which stresses that
international solidarity is needed to address the issue. “The world is creating displacement faster than it is
producing solutions, and this means one thing only: More people trapped in exile over many years,
unable to return home, to settle locally, or to move elsewhere,” said the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees, António Guterres, in relation to the publication. “Global displacement is an inherently
international problem, and as such needs international solutions – and by this I mainly mean political
solutions,” he added. With its last version published in 2006, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees’ (UNHCR) The State of the World’s Refugees: In Search of Solidarity provides a fresh, in-depth
analysis of the plight of the world's millions of displaced people. The 2012 publication notes that there are
currently 43 million people who have been forced to flee their homes due to a combination of causes.
These include conflict, climate change, population growth, urbanization, food insecurity, water scarcity
and resource competition. Eighty per cent of the 43 million live in the developing world. Among the
notable changes in global displacement since 2006, the new publication notes the increase in the number
of internally displaced persons which now amount to 26 million, more than half of the world’s displaced
population. In comparison, around 15-16 million of the displaced persons are refugees and a further
million are asylum-seekers. The publication points out that more people are displaced annually by natural
disasters than by conflict and warns of a gap in international protection when it comes to people who flee
across borders to escape the impact of climate change or natural disasters as they are not recognized as

efugees under international law. The State of the World’s Refugees: In Search of Solidarity also
describes the challenges that arise when tackling displacement, such as increased threats to the safety of
humanitarian workers, and the need to strengthen international cooperation. It notes how for humanitarian
workers a further implication is that helping the displaced is becoming more costly and dangerous, citing
countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, or Iraq, where getting help to internally displaced
populations means working in environments where access is difficult and conflict or criminality can
present deadly risk. Guterres stressed that development and resettlement policies for refugees can help
them integrate locally, but that political will and a shift in mentality from developed countries is needed for
this to occur. “Pressures on the international protection system are clearly growing. In some industrialized
countries in particular we see fortress mentalities that serve only to shift responsibility and compassion
elsewhere,” the UN refugee chief said. “In a world where societies are becoming multicultural and
multiethnic, it is essential to promote the values of tolerance and to fight the manifestation of xenophobia.”
(IBNS) (New Kerala 1/6/12)
UN to relocate 20,000 refugees at South Sudan border (13)
New York, June 2 : An estimated 20,000 refugees have amassed on the South Sudan border after fleeing
conflict and lack of food, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday, adding that it is working to
relocate them and provide them with emergency aid. A spokesperson for the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Adrian Edwards, told reporters in Geneva that many of the
refugees in South Sudan's Elfoj border area had fled because of the ongoing bombing and ground
fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army-North in the
Sudanese state of Blue Nile. "As a result of the fighting, villagers had had limited access to food and the
fields for farming. A number of refugees had arrived at hospitals in poor health after surviving on tree
leaves for some time," Edwards said. He added that refugees interviewed by UNHCR staff reported that
up to 40,000 more people could be en route to South Sudan. Since May 19, UNCHR has transported
several thousand refugees to its new camp, Yusuf Batil. Others have been relocated some 30 kilometers
from Elfoj to Rum, a transit site where UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) are providing food
rations and water. According to Edwards, UNHCR is carrying out relocations three times a week from
Rum to the Yusuf Batil camp, of about 1,000 people at a time, based on the capacity of services.
However, rain and muddy roads are slowing down the movements. Edwards warned that the current
refugee influx is "putting tremendous strains on limited resources in this remote area of South Sudan,"
and said that UNHCR is in the process of relocating 15,000 refugees from the Jammam camp to the Doro
and Batil camps to ease congestion and the pressure on limited water supplies in Jammam. The recent
wave of refugees brings the total number of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan's Upper Nile state to
about 100,000. Meanwhile, South Sudan's Unity state is hosting another 38,000 refugees from Sudan's
South Kordofan state. (IBNS) (New Kerala 2/6/12)
Sri Lankan refugees: Tamil Nadu cops turn a blind eye (13)
KOCHI: With Kerala coast becoming a safe haven for Sri Lankan Tamils sailing illegally to Australia and
Malaysia, central intelligence agencies are pointing fingers at Tamil Nadu police for abetting movement of
refugees to state from camps in Rameswaram and Chennai. "The Tamil Nadu police are turning a blind
eye on Lankan Tamils moving from refugee camps to Kerala. It's not possible for refugees in such large
numbers to avoid detection of the police. We strongly believe that the Tamil Nadu police are discreetly
allowing refugees to come to Kerala," said a senior official of the Intelligence Bureau. The suspicion of the
intelligence officials was strengthened after they questioned Senthuran (38) of Kandy, Sri Lanka, a
kingpin of the racket that helped Sri Lankan Tamils to illegally travel to Australia from the Kerala coast.
Senthuran was arrested from Chennai by a Kerala Police team in September 2011 after they nabbed 39
Sri Lankan Tamils who attempted to go to Australia from Kerala on a fishing boat. He was interrogated by
a team of central intelligence officials as he was suspected of being a LTTE sympathiser. "We have

communicated the matter to the Tamil Nadu police as we cannot believe that the refugees have travelled
to Kerala without coming under the scanner of the Tamil Nadu intelligence wing," the official added. Last
week, the Kerala police detained 151 Sri Lankan Tamils from Kollam who were planning to illegally flee
from the Kerala coast in fishing boats. According to the Kerala police, nearly 300 Sri Lankan Tamils have
come to Kerala over the last two years to illegally sail from the state. (Times of India 9/6/12)
Myanmar refugees do not want to quit India (13)
New Delhi, June 10 : Myanmar is embracing democracy after decades of military rule, but refugees from
the country living in India say they have no immediate plans to return home. Spokespersons for the mass
of refugees here say despite the globally hailed changes in Myanmar, the situation was far from
conducive for them to go back to their original homes and lives. "At present there is no guarantee of
safety (in Myanmar). There's no system for resettlement," said the campaign coordinator at the Burma
Center Delhi (BCD) who gave his name only as Kim. BCD is one of the groups working among the
Myanmar refugees, thousands of whom live in Vikaspuri in west Delhi. "Civil unrest continues in Kachin
state. A majority of our refugees don't want to go back," Kim told IANS. Tint Swe, a doctor and a member
of the so-called Burmese government-in-exile, had another point to make. "Most refugees don't trust the
government's assurances of better living conditions. Also, with Myanmar opening up, other countries are
not as willing to take us as they were earlier," Tint told IANS. He added that only political activists were
thinking of going back. But even among them, not more than five had left India. Mizzima, a news service
started by exiled activists, is however shifting base from India to Myanmar. "We have already started
operations in Myanmar with two editors," explained Thin thin Aung, Mizzima's co-founder. "Now that there
is some degree of media freedom, only political and religious news have to pass through the censors. We
always wanted to return home and we have taken our chance." She quickly added: "The majority of our
diaspora will not return until the situation has completely normalised and there are better economic
opportunities." But it is not that the refugees are happy in India -- in Delhi in particular. Despite spending
nearly two decades in the capital, the refugees cannot call it their home. One reason is India has not
signed the 1951 UN Refugee Convention that safeguards the rights of refugees. Worse, racial
discrimination is rampant, the Myanmar refugees complain. "We have to face widespread racial profiling
but our pleas for justice fall on deaf ears," Alana Golmei of BCD told IANS. According to Golmei, as many
as 15,000 refugees live in the Vikaspuri area, with the majority belonging to the Chin state which borders
India. The rest are from smaller tribes including Kachins and Arakans. Golmei regretted that most
Myanmar refugees do menial jobs for a living or live on charity because getting work is so difficult.
According to Khai Bawi of the Chin Refugee Committee (CRC), woman refugees face a lot of
harassment, at both workplace and home. "At workplace the salaries are often sub-standard and are
usually delayed. I know a 72-year-old man who works from 8 in morning till 11 at night and gets only 200
rupees," Bawi said. "Security is a major issue. So many of our women get sexually assaulted but the
police don't take any action. Once we even caught the culprit but they let him go," he said. (New Kerala
10/6/12)
Kashmiri migrant govt staff can retain quarters, says HC (13)
New Delhi: Former chief of Border Security Force (BSF) and other Kashmiri migrant government servants
have been allowed by the Delhi High Court to retain their official accommodation in the national capital
even after retirement in view of threat perception as well as the turbulent situation in their home state. A
bench of acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw held the view that throwing out
those people from the government residence, without providing alternate shelter, would amount to gross
violation of their fundamental rights under Article 14 (equality) and 21 (right to life and liberty) of the
Constitution. The court also said, the Centre would be free to frame a rehabilitation policy for such retired
government employees, specifying the terms and conditions for providing them alternate residence, which
may be in New Delhi or in the national capital region. It dismissed an appeal filed by the Centre

challenging the single judge order of November 30, 2010, allowing all those Kashmiri pundits, who got
themselves transferred to Delhi due to insurgency in the state, to continue occupying the government
residences here. “The facts cry out eloquently and vociferously that the respondents and their families,
who are permanent residents of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, did not leave their home state voluntarily.
They were driven out of Srinagar valley. Their household goods were looted and the house was burnt by
the terrorists,” the bench said. Talking specifically about the case of former director-general of BSF P K
Koul, who superannuated on July 31, 2002, the court noted that apart from one residence in Srinagar
destroyed by militants, he did not own any other property anywhere in the country. Koul and 23 others,
mostly working in intelligence agencies, defence or para-military services, were handed down eviction
order by Estate Officer under the under the Public Premises Act, 1971. All the aggrieved retired officials
got relief after they filed a writ petition in the high court. “The respondents (Koul and others) are thus
refugees in their own country though legally they are not entitled to refugee status. In such a scenario,
particularly qua these respondents (erstwhile Central Government employees), duty of the State to
provide shelter with corresponding right of the respondents to claim that shelter cannot be disputed,” the
bench said. Additional Solicitor-General A S Chandhiok, appearing for the Centre, challenged the single
judge order, and submitted that there was a marked distinction between right to shelter and right to
occupy government accommodation. He said that rehabilitation measures undertaken by the Central
government for the affected Kashmiri migrants included a Prime Minister-announced package of Rs 1,600
crores. Calling it as trivialising the whole issue, the division bench said: “In a case like this, it becomes the
duty of the state to take care of their residential needs by providing adequate shelter.” (Deccan Herald
11/6/12)
'65,000 Bhutanese refugees resettled from Nepal' (13)
Kathmandu: As many as 65,000 Bhutanese refugees, residing in Nepalese camps, have been resettled in
the US and European nations under a resettlement programme by United Nations refugee agency.
According to the UN High Commissioner of Refugees (UNCHR). the US which received 54,731
Bhutanese refugees, is the largest resettlement country followed by Canada with 4,663 and Australia that
has accommodated 3,476 refugees. The third country resettlement programme was initiated for the
Bhutanese refugees, most of them Lhotshampas ethnic group, who had fled the country in the early
1990s. Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR, T Alexander Alienikoff told a press conference at the end
of his brief visit here that only 48,640 refugees were left in two camps of eastern Nepal. The newlyappointed
Deputy High Commissioner was here to assess the latest situation of the Bhutanese and other
refugees residing in Nepal and to familiarise himself about the refugee activities being carried out by
UNHCR Nepal. He met Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Vijaya Kumar Gachhadar and
discussed the problems being faced by the Bhutanese refugees and the issues relating to their
repatriation. UNHCR is providing food, shelter and other assistance to the Bhutanese refugees stationed
in different camps in eastern Nepal for more than two decades and also helping the country solve the
refugee problem after several rounds of bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan failed to repatriate even
a single refugee. According to UNHCR, every year 800 Tibetan refugees enter Nepal on their way to India
to meet their spiritual guru the Dalai Lama. Nepal is home to some 15,000 long-staying Tibetan refugees.
The country started receiving the Tibetan refugees since 1950s, when Tibetans started fleeing the
country after a failed uprising against Chinese occupation. (Zee News 15/6/12)
150,000 Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan (13)
Islamabad, June 18 : The UN refugee agency plans to help in the voluntary repatriation of some 150,000
Afghan refugees from Pakistan this year. Pakistan continues to host about 1.7 million refugees. Most of
them are from Afghanistan and live in refugee villages and urban areas, reports Xinhua. Since March

2002, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has facilitated the return of some 3.7 million Afghans from
Pakistan, UNHCR representative Neil Wright said Sunday. (IANS) (New Kerala 18/6/12)
UN: 800,000 people forced to become refugees (13)
New York, June 18 : Ahead of World Refugee Day, the United Nations refugee agency reported on
Monday that a record 800,000 people were forced to flee across borders last year, more than at any time
since 2000. The new refugees are part of a total of 4.3 million people who were newly displaced last year,
owing to a string of major humanitarian crises that began in late 2010 in Cote d'Ivoire, and followed by
others in Libya, Somalia, Sudan and elsewhere, according to Global Trends 2011, issued by the Office of
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "2011 saw suffering on an epic scale. For so many
lives to have been thrown into turmoil over so short a space of time means enormous personal cost for all
who were affected," said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, in a news release.
"We can be grateful only that the international system for protecting such people held firm for the most
part and that borders stayed open. These are testing times," he added. Some 42.5 million people ended
2011 either as refugees (15.2 million), internally displaced (26.4 million) or in the process of seeking
asylum (895,000), according to the report, which is UNHCR's main publication on the state of forced
displacement. At the same time, 2011 saw some 3.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) return
home - the highest rate of returns of IDPs in more than a decade. Among the "worrying" trends noted in
the report, UNHCR said that forced displacement is affecting larger numbers of people globally, with the
annual level exceeding 42 million people for each of the last five years. Another is that a person who
becomes a refugee is likely to remain as one for many years - often stuck in a camp or living precariously
in an urban location. Of the 10.4 million refugees under UNHCR's mandate, almost three quarters (7.1
million) have been in exile for at least five years awaiting a solution. Overall, Afghanistan remains the
biggest producer of refugees (2.7 million) followed by Iraq (1.4 million), Somalia (1.1 million), Sudan
(500,000) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (491,000). Among industrialized countries,
Germany ranks as the largest hosting country with 571,700 refugees. South Africa, meanwhile, was the
largest recipient of individual asylum applications (107,000), a status it has held for the past four years.
While UNHCR's original mandate was to help refugees, its work over the past six decades has grown to
include helping many of the world's IDPs and those who are stateless - those lacking recognized
citizenship and the human rights that accompany this. The report notes that only 64 governments
provided data on stateless people, meaning that UNHCR was able to capture numbers for only around a
quarter of the estimated 12 million stateless people worldwide. World Refugee Day falls on Wednesday,
June 20. The theme for this year's observance is "Refugees have no choice. You do," and focuses on the
tough choices facing refugees, helping the public to empathize with, and understand, their dilemma.
(IBNS) (New Kerala 19/6/12)
Over 2 lakh refugees in India: Report (13)
New Delhi: 22-year-old Gurjeet Kaur came from Afghanistan when she was only 2-years-old. Her family
was displaced from Jalalabad during the 1992 crisis. She believes her understanding of Hindi has helped
her adjust into the Indian society well and now she has decided to help children with a similar
background. Kaur said, "I connect with them so I help them." Despite lack of refugee specific legislation,
India currently hosts more than two lakh Tibetan and Sri Lankan refugees. Another 17,380 mainly from
Afghanistan and Myanmar are registered under the UNHCR mandate. But not everyone is as lucky as
Gurjeet. 29-year-old Akhu came from Myanmar in 2007. She calls Delhi her new home but is worried
about the discrimination they face on an everyday basis. Akhu said, "Women get raped and landlords
cheat us." A reason good enough for many like Akhu to crave for home which they lost long ago. One of
the refugees Nenem says, "I want to go home." According to the United Nations, over 8 lakh people were
forced to flee borders across the world last year. (CNN-IBN 20/6/12)

UNHCR helps refugees stitch up a livelihood (13)
NEW DELHI, June 20, 2012: For as long as she can remember, Mary Hamid has flitted between
Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now in India, and registered as a “refugee” from Afghanistan, she says she
feels far from settled and is already worried about where life will take her next. In Delhi with her family,
which includes her orphaned nephew, she says her life has been a never-ending struggle. “These past
years have been difficult. My husband lost vision in one eye; we had no job and a family of six to support.
Because we have no work permits, all we could do were odd jobs that barely fetched us enough.” Getting
registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has, however, helped the
husband-wife duo source an income. The Hamids work at a livelihood centre at Malviya Nagar, run by the
UNHCR. While her husband makes paper plates, Mary stitches clothes. “We make just enough to pay the
rent and buy food, but it is a start.” At the same centre, 37-year-old Fatimah helps to stitch cotton kurtas
for women and tries to bond with people who do not speak her language. Fatimah fled Sudan in 2008
after her husband was killed by a stray bullet and her five children went missing when violence rocked her
city. “I came with a family that had employed me, but then they went back to Sudan and left me here,” she
said through her interpreter. Apart from earning money at the livelihood centre, Fatimah gets monetary
assistance from the UNHCR. “I pay Rs. 3,500 as rent alone. Life is hard, but I somehow get by.” Official
figures peg the number of refugees in India at more than 2,00,000, majority of them Tibetans and Sri
Lankans. There are 17,380 refugees, 3,710 asylum seekers, and some from the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan, according to the UNHCR. Most of these refuges have the
same concern — livelihood. And unable to extend monetary assistance to all, the UNHCR has begun
supporting their initiative to earn a living. As on date, about 300 refugees benefit from a livelihood
programme spread over four production centres in West and South Delhi. “Our focus in India is very much
on helping refugees build their skills and capacities to earn. Many come with the traditional skills of
embroidery, sewing and weaving. Others learn simple crafts — making paper plate, paper bags, cushion
covers and artificial jewellery — that help them gain skills and experience, making it easier to find jobs in
the open market. The idea really is to help refugees help themselves. Everyone has a capacity to earn
and by being part of the ‘Koshish’ project, it helps build skills and confidence,” said UNCHR associate
external relations officer Nayana Bose. Refugees are encouraged to pick up skills at the centre and are
paid on an hourly basis. While most say the money is barely adequate, they concede that it is a start. “I
make very little money here; I have a family of eight to support. So I often offer my services as a cook at
restaurants or help people fix dish antennas,” said Azar, also from Afghanistan. “The UNHCR also runs a
learn and train initiative for those between the ages of 16 and 18, where children work for half a day,
learning how to make bead-mats, TV covers and artificial jewellery and, at the same time, are enrolled in
the National Open School. We want to provide a safe place for them to work and learn skills. They go for
classes run by the Open School and the money they earn through this initiative helps them make ends
meet,” said Ms. Bose. (The Hindu 20/6/12)
India as a home for refugees worldwide (13)
The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) held a public lecture by
Shashi Tharoor, former UN diplomat and MP, on the occasion of ‘World Refugee Day’ at the India
International Centre. UNHCR's Chief of Mission in India, Montserrat Feixas Vihe chaired the evening. The
theme for this year’s Refugee Day was ‘Restoring Hope’ and the subject of the lecture was ‘Preserving
Asylum in India: Achievements and Challenges’. In the 45 minute lecture, Tharoor outlined how India has
been one of the best places for refugees from around the world, how it tends to them and what are the
issues the country still faces. The lecture was followed by questions from the audience. Shashi Tharoor,
in his brilliant manner and eloquent speech, laid down many aspects of the asylum conditions in India.
India has, since time immemorial, been an extremely welcoming home to refugees from all over the world.
He talked about the Jews, Parsis, Christians, Zoroastrians and of course, the Muslims who had been
flocking to India because of ‘a well founded fear of persecution.’ The best example that India can offer is

that of Partition in 1947 when India was home to around 15 million people from across the borders on
both sides. However, India refused to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol inspite of
being in practice of providing asylum for over 60 years. This, according to Tharoor, is a shining example
of the “guff between legal position and reality.” In fact, in the discussions after the lecture, India being a
non-signatory country of the Convention and Protocol was raised as major issue. It is important to
understand that when refugees come, they don’t just have a bag of belongings but also their hopes,
aspirations, skills and dreams. India not only offers asylum to the displaced people, they’re given equal
rights and those who obtain Indian passports also obtain the right to vote in addition to other rights. They
can establish themselves here and be productive until they return but they will not be deported. Their
return is subject to their wish. There are, however, certain challenges that India has to face. While the
refugees have work permit in the informal sector, it must be understood that this sector is very competitive
and difficult, with people from all over the country also participating. In the Capital alone, apart from the
22,000 refugees, there will be people from smaller towns in the rat race. Poverty stricken refugees must
be given work permits in all sectors, according to Tharoor. Another issue is the suspicion with which they
are treated. What the refugees don’t realise is that in their new home, there could be equal distress.
There is stereotyping and conservative mindset. In addition to poverty, they face discrimination as well.
Indians need to be sensitised. Tharoor says that India should move on from this modest position of not
signing the Protocol or Convention. “Six decades of practice have the force of a customary law,” he said.
There is also the need for a refugee status determination and we should be afraid of economic migrants
as well. Since India offers so much comfort, other countries might create more refugees but there’s
nothing much that can be done about it. India already did a military intervention in 1971 in East Pakistan.
But once people flee, they flee, and what better than a welcoming nation like India (Deccan Herald
21/6/12)
UNHCR: Climate change responsible for human mobility (13)
New York, June 22 : Climate change can play a role in driving people from their homes into areas of
conflict and potentially across borders, according to a new United Nations report released on Thursday.
“Climate Change, Vulnerability and Human Mobility,” based on discussions with around 150 refugees and
internally displaced people in Ethiopia and Uganda in 2011, is published by the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN University (UNU). “This report confirms what we have
been hearing for years from refugees,” said the High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, who
introduced the report while attending the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. “They did everything they could to stay at home, but when their last crops failed, their
livestock died, they had no option but to move; movement which often led them into greater harm’s way,”
he stated. Most of those interviewed for the report, which was produced with the support of the London
School of Economics and Bonn University, were farmers and pastoralists from Eritrea, Somalia and
eastern Sudan. They were asked questions about the extent to which climate change contributed to their
decision to leave their homes, and, eventually, their countries. Most refugees reported that leaving their
homes was a last resort and their first displacement was temporary and to an area close to home,
according to a news release on the report. The majority fled their countries after the areas they moved to
were affected by insecurity or a lethal combination of violence and drought. “Cross-border movement, as
a direct response to climate change, was exceptional,” the news release noted. While many refugees
described disrupted rainfall patterns in the past decade, with longer and more severe droughts than in
previous years, none cited these negative shifts in weather as a direct catalyst for violent conflict,
according to the report. Some did, however, speak about the scarcity of food and crops after severe
drought as exacerbating pre-existing conflicts, persecution and repression. While most people displaced
solely as a result of extreme weather conditions stay within their national borders, those that cross
international borders are not necessarily covered by the 1951 UN Refugee Convention – the treaty that
forms the legal foundation on which UNHCR’s work is based. The Convention, adopted to resolve the

efugee problem in Europe after the Second World War, provides a definition of who qualifies as a
refugee – a person with a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group or political opinion – and spells out the rights and obligations
between host countries and refugees. The Nansen Initiative, due to be formally launched in October 2012
by Norway and Switzerland, with the support of UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council, aims to
address this legal and protection gap for people displaced across borders owing to environmental change
and extreme weather events. “I am convinced that climate change will increasingly be a driver in
worsening displacement crises in the world,” said Guterres. “It is very important for the world to come
together to respond to this challenge.” (IBNS) (New Kerala 22/6/12)
Northeast floods render 75,000 homeless, relief stepped up (13)
Shillong/New Delhi, July 1 : Units of the Indian Army have stepped up relief efforts in the northeastern
states after swollen rivers caused devastation in the region, leaving over 75,000 people homeless Sunday
in Meghalaya alone, an official said. The swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers submerged whole
villages in Meghalaya. More than 15,000 houses went under a sea of floodwater, West Garo Hills' district
commissioner Pravin Bakshi told IANS. The Jinjiram, one the major rivers in Garo Hills, caused havoc
after it breached a major embankment, flooding low-lying areas. No loss of life has been reported so far.
The district administration has sought boats to evacuate people from the flooded region with the help of
civil defence and Home Guards. Bakshi said that 15 camps have been set up to accommodate the
displaced people. A total of 122 relief and rescue teams have been deployed in Assam and Arunachal
Pradesh where overflowing Brahmaputra and its tributaries have caused havoc, army spokesperson
Veerendra Singh said in Delhi. Relief operations are on in Sonitpur, Kamrup, Barpeta, Tinsukia,
Sivasagar, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Baksa, Nalbari and Darrang areas in Assam, and Changlang in Arunachal
Pradesh, according to Singh. The army teams, he said, were using 122 boats and outboard motors and
540 life jackets to rescue thousands of stranded people. So far, around 3,500 people have been rescued,
while over a hundred injured have been given medical aid. Besides 180 food packets, around 3,000 kg of
ration provided by the civil administration have been distributed among people stranded in isolated areas.
Helicopters are also being used for the relief work. "The army reconnaissance teams with the help of civil
administration are identifying all affected areas to provide immediate relief to the people," Singh said.
(IANS) (New Kerala 1/7/12)
Two held for trying to take Sri Lankan refugees to Oz (13)
CHENNAI: Police on Tuesday busted a human trafficking racket and arrested two Sri Lankan Tamils for
collecting money from refugees staying in camps in the state promising to take them to Australia through
illegal ferries. Police also seized a satellite phone from them. Acting on a tip-off, 'Q' branch police picked
up Ramesh alias Ramachandran (38) and Gandhi Mohan (40) from Red Hills. Inquiries revealed that
Ramesh and Mohan, who hail from Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, were planning to leave to Christmas Island,
a part of Australia, by a ferry from Yanam, off Andhra Pradesh coast. "We got the tip-off from a refugee
staying in a camp. We went to the hideout and nabbed the duo who were preparing for the journey. The
two had collected 1.5 lakh from each refugee. Some others had given them 50,000 as advance," a senior
police officer said. Ramesh and Mohan came to Tamil Nadu as refugees in 1997. They were staying
outside the camp, raised money and bought a ferry for 31 lakh and kept it on Yanam coast. They planned
to set sail on July 5. They ordered 13 plastic tanks to take water and enrolled 50 refugees and collected
money from them. The ferry carrying 40-50 people would reach the island after a 15-day journey. Once
they enter Australian waters and are captured, they are taken to a refugee camp. (Times of India 5/7/12)
China denies pushing back Myanmar refugees (13)
China denies pushing back Myanmar refugees Beijing: Chinese border officials of the south west Yunnan
province have refuted allegations that they forced refugees entering China from Myanmar to the conflict-

torn region in their country. The denial came in response to a report by Human Rights Watch in late June
claiming that China forced some Kachin minority refugees from northern Myanmar to return to their
country, as well as refused to offer them basic services. "There has been no significant influx or overstay
of refugees since armed clashes broke out between Myanmar government forces and the ethnic Kachin
Independence Army in June last year," a government official from Dehong prefecture, which borders
Myanmar's Kachin state said. "There have been no forced returns of Kachin refugees," Sun Konglong,
deputy secretary-general of the Dehong prefecture government was quoted as saying by the state-run
Xinhua news agency. Amid escalating violence at home, about 3,000 Myanmar border residents, mostly
women, children and elderly, have entered Dehong to seek refuge with their Chinese relatives, Sun said.
"The clashes are still occurring now and then. Although many of my friends worry about their lives in the
future, they aren't willing to abandon their families and businesses to seek refuge in China," a Myanmar
resident who is visiting China on a business trip said. "For those who have relatives in China, they usually
seek refuge with their relatives for a couple of days when a clash breaks out and return home when the
fighting is over," he said. The current situation along the border is orderly and stable, and there has been
no disorderly assembly of Kachin refugees in China, Sun said. According to the Xinhua report, the
Chinese authorities have made efforts to improve entry and exit services on the China-Myanmar border,
as well as implemented measures to deal with emergency situations. Sites for refugees and related
service facilities have been established, and humanitarian aid, including medication to prevent contagious
diseases, has been provided to refugees within Myanmar. China will offer more aid if border residents
asked for more assistance, Sun said. (Zee News 5/7/12)
Mass migration from Chhattisgarh villages after shootout (13)
Raipur, July 7 : Korsaguda and Sarkeguda villages in Chhattigarh are witnessing large scale migration as
people are fleeing to nearby states, leaving behind their agricultural land, following a midnight gunbattle
June 28 between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and suspected Maoists and their
sympathisers. Talking to IANS Saturday, Sarpanch of Sarkeguda, Markam Narayan said: "People are
terrified after the gunbattle. They have either migrated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in search of job or
are taking shelter in the house of their relatives." Due to the mass migration, the paddy has been affected
as most of the fields have been left unploughed. This Kharif (summer) season, the area has so far
received adequate rains. Security forces had gunned down 17 suspected Maoists - rights activists and
local villagers say they were innocent local people - at Korsaguda village in Bijapur district of Bastar
region, about 600 km south of Raipur, June 28. While six Central Reserve Police Force troopers were
injured in the midnight gunbattle, five injured Maoists were also nabbed in the operation, but one of them
later succumbed to injuries in hospital. Fearing that either they will be caught in the wrangles of the state
government and the opposition or be harassed by Maoists, people of these two villages have migrated to
Andhra Pradesh in search of work, leaving their fields untilled. According to the Narayan, only a few of the
villagers, who hardly have any knowledge about agriculture, have stayed back. (IANS) (New Kerala
7/7/12)
Traffickers lure refugee camp inmates with package deals (13)
Chennai: Human trafficking in Sri Lankan Tamils came to notice in India first with the arrival of
Arumainayagam Soundarajan aka Rajan aka Italy Rajan, in Tamil Nadu in June 2009. He had been
sending asylum seekers from the coasts of Sri Lanka earlier and had to flee when the competitors turned
the heat on and the security agencies in Colombo sniffed out his trail. He landed in Rameswaram by a
boat and launched business right away, taking advantage of the clamour for life abroad among the restive
refugees in the TN camps. Until he came, human smuggling was not so much tested in the state.
Recruiting agents and sub-agents from the refugee camps, Rajan did a few sailings from the coasts of
Mangalore in Karnataka and Kollam/ Kochi in Kerala. He used to charge fees ranging from five to ten lakh
rupees per person—now the rate has come down to between one to three lakhs—Rajan harvested plenty

from the 111 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu (which housed about 68,000 inmates) and also among the
30,000-plus Lankan Tamils living outside on their own. With the arrest of Rajan in April 2010, many of his
agents started operating independently in TN and neighbouring states. They would offer attractive
‘package deals’ to the inmates of the refugee camps—like take a cousin along and you get concession on
the ‘fare’, and you could pay half on reaching the destination. Often, some close relative already living
abroad picked up the bill. The temptation to make quick money saw some locals also entering the arena.
The preferred launching points for these boats include Mangalore, Munambam (Kochi), Kollam,
Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Pondicherry, Chennai and Vizag (Andhra Pradesh). A boatload
of Lankan Tamils was caught off the Kakinada coast in AP last year. “While we manage to get many of
these boats before they hit the deep sea, some manage to slip through. Their human cargo then is at the
mercy of the ocean since most boats are unfit for the long journey”, said an intelligence officer, requesting
anonymity. After gathering enough number of asylum seekers and collecting the initial payment, ranging
between Rs50,000 and Rs1 lakh, from each of them, the agents would scout for buying a fishing trawler,
usually costing about Rs14-15 lakh. Sources in the trafficking mafia revealed that the boats were usually
procured in Kochi, Kollam or Kanyakumari. “Normally metal-bottomed boats are preferred as they would
withstand the rough seas. Modifications are made to accommodate women and children by providing
toilets, storage for food and drinking water, because a normal voyage takes over 20 days. Navigational
systems such as GPS and satellite communication sets would also be taken. Ex-cadres of Sea Tigers are
preferred because they are good at navigation, aware of the sea-lanes and are often asylum seekers
themselves, so their services come free for the agent”, a source said. “On reaching the coast of Christian
Island or Cocco Islands, the drivers would damage the boat engine—to prevent being sent back to
India—and anchor. The navigational equipment too would be discarded after sending a SOS to the
Australian authorities. The Australian navy would arrive and after screening, would send the boat people
to refugee settlement camps where they would stay for about six months. Depending on their good
behaviour in the camps, they would be admitted into Australia”, the source said. (Asian Age 10/7/12)
UN: Operations to help Mali refugees threatened by low funds (13)
New York, July 10 : The operation to support Malian refugees is threatened by a critically low level of
funding, the UN refugee agency said Tuesday, adding that it and its partners are struggling to provide a
basic level of humanitarian standards for the displaced. "For UNHCR, only USD 34.9 million has been
received against an appeal for USD 153 million - that is just 22.7 per cent of the funding needed. Our
partners, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) also report poor
funding levels for refugee operations in the region," a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Adrian Edwards, told reporters at a briefing in Geneva. Fighting
between Government forces and Tuareg rebels resumed in northern Mali in January. The instability and
insecurity resulting from the renewed clashes, as well as the proliferation of armed groups in the region,
and political instability in the wake of a coup d'etat in March, have uprooted nearly 365,000 people, with
many of them fleeing to Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as other parts of Mali. "UNHCR and
partners are struggling to maintain minimum humanitarian standards for the refugees," Edwards said. "In
some camps in Niger and Burkina Faso refugees have to contend with daily water supplies below the
emergency standard of 15 litres per person per day." According to UNHCR, more than 15,000 people
have arrived in Mauritania in the past month, most of them from the Timbuktu region. The Government
and UNHCR have agreed to open a new camp to accommodate the large number of new arrivals, which
will be located close to the village of Aghor, which was home to thousands of Malian refugees in the
1990s. The vast majority of the refugees are women and children. Edwards said that the lack of funding is
having "a profound effect on access to education for refugees in all three countries" - in Mauritania, low
funding levels are resulting in only 20 per cent of displaced school-age children having access to
education. In addition, Edwards warned that access to some camps containing displaced people in
Burkina Faso and Niger is becoming more problematic as the rainy season sets in and causes some

oads to deteriorate. Meanwhile, two UN independent experts warned that the recent destruction of
various religious sites in Mali signals a "dark future" for the local population, and called on the country's
Government and international community to join efforts to protect the population's cultural rights. There
have been reports of rebel groups looting historic centres containing thousands of ancient books and
documents in Timbuktu, and, two weeks ago, there were reports of the destruction of three sacred tombs
- the Mausoleums of Sidi Mahmoud, Sidi Moctar and Alpha Moya - that are part of the Timbuktu site,
which was an intellectual and spiritual capital and a center for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa
in the 15th and 16th centuries….. (New Kerala 11/7/12)
Bhutan refugees from Nepal seek India's help (13)
New Delhi, July 14: Representatives of Bhutanese refugees from Nepal and human rights group Human
Rights Defence International (HRDI) Saturday urged India to help 1.3 lakh people allegedly forced to
leave Bhutan. Speaking at a symposium organised by the HRDI at Indian Law Institute here, Bhutanese
Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee chairman Bhampa Rai said that India has a moral
responsibility to help secure justice for the refugees who were forced to shift to Nepal from Bhutan in the
1990s. According to Rai, the refugees, mostly ethnic Hindus called Lhotshampa in Bhutan, originally
came from Nepal and settled in the southern parts of Bhutan in the early 20th century but the government
termed the Lhotshampa as illegal immigrants and anti-nationals. "The inhabitants of eastern Bhutan, the
followers of Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism, have also been suppressed and deprived of their social,
economic, cultural and traditional rights," he said. Indian parliamentarian Tarun Vijay of the Bharatiya
Janata Party said that issues related to Bhutan refugees reflected a humanitarian crisis. He said the
refugees were "facing silent terrorism at the hands of the monarchy through oppressive laws and
systematic discrimination".Fellow speaker S.B. Gurung, himself a resident of one of the Bhutan refugee
camps in Nepal, portrayed the grim picture of life in such settlements. "We are almost 15,000 people in
just 540 bamboo huts. There is no security or medical facility in the camp. And with the repatriation efforts
failing to deliver, there is a sense of utter hopelessness among the refugees," he said. Gurung is a
member of the central committee of People's Forum For Human Rights, a refugees' organisation. (IANS)
(New Kerala 14/7/12)
232 Sri Lankans held while illegally migrating (13)
Colombo, July 16 : The Sri Lankan Navy has detained about 250 nationals who were trying to flee the
country to Australia. A total of 232 Sri Lankans, including public employees and children were detained
last week by the navy, Xinhua quoted a Sri Lankan official as saying Monday. According to a Sri Lankan
Navy spokesman, at least 16 public officials including a policeman were arrested by the navy off the
eastern coast of Sri Lanka Saturday. They were among a group of 109 people attempting to smuggle
themselves into Australia. "This is the largest number of people that we have taken into custody. They
were handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police who will be conducting
investigations," said Kosala Warnakulasuriya. Last Friday, five children were among a boatload of 41
asylum seekers that were detained 15 nautical miles into the sea. The number of asylum seekers from Sri
Lanka has increased in 2012, with most of them trying to illegally enter Australia. Last month, over 90
people died after two boats capsized near Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean.
Australian authorities have reported that over the past three weeks asylum seeker numbers have trebled,
hitting the same digits as in 2009. (IANS) (New Kerala 16/7/12)
88 Afghan refugees in Pakistan found with AIDS (13)
Islamabad, July 16 : At least 88 Afghan refugees, including 10 women, who have taken shelter in
Pakistan's northwest tribal region, have been found to be infected with AIDS, the Online news agency
reported. Sources from Pakistan's health department said Islamabad and Kabul have planned out a joint
strategy to detect and prevent AIDS among Afghan refugees. According to the strategy, Afghan refugees

infected with the disease through the use of contaminated syringes would be identified, admitted and
treated at a centre set up at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. Those infected are aged between
25-45 and include both registered and non-registered refugees. (IANS) (New Kerala 16/7/12)
30,000 Syrian refugees cross into Lebanon: UN (13)
Geneva, July 20 : Up to 30,000 Syrian refugees may have fled the conflict in their country and crossed
into Lebanon, the UN agency for refugees said Friday. Melissa Fleming, chief spokeswoman of the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the agency has received varying reports about 8,500 to
30,000 Syrians crossing the border. "Borders remain open... people continue to flood into Lebanon," she
said. An estimated one million people may have been forced to flee the country since the rebellion
against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, according to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. A
total of 120,000 Syrian refugees have sought protection in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, according
to the UNHCR July 18 registration statistics. Host governments say the numbers are much higher. Many
newly arriving Syrian refugees are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. Some have come following
many months of unemployment, the UN agency said. "The needs of those who arrived earlier in the year
are also increasing as their savings have become depleted," it said. Local infrastructure in countries
hosting the refugees has come under severe pressure especially water, housing, school and health
facilities, the agency said. UNHCR is also assisting 35,000 cash-strapped families in Syria. It said the
number of people seeking help with cash to rent apartments and buy basic household items is growing.It
said Syrian banks are reported to be running out of cash. A rush to find safe housing has caused rents in
some places to spike to USD 100 a night. UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres said: "I fear for the civilians
caught up in the violence in Damascus, including the large Iraqi refugee population residing there." There
are over 88,000 registered Iraqi refugees in Syria, most of them living in Damascus, and around 8,000
refugees from other countries, the UNHCR said. (IANS) (New Kerala 20/7/12)
9,000 Syrian refugees reach Iraq (13)
Baghdad: Iraq's Kurdish region has received up to 9,000 Syrian refugees looking to flee their homeland
following ongoing violence, Xinhua quoted a Kurdish official as saying. "The camps, which prepared for
Syrian refugees crossing the (Syria-Kurdistan) border, continue receiving increasing numbers of
refugees," Mohammed Abdullah, head of the directorate of Immigration and Immigrants of Kurdistan's
Duhuk province, said Saturday. "Till today we have received 9,000 of them," he added. The Kurdish
regional government in cooperation with international and some local humanitarian organisations are
offering various aids to the refugees who are mostly Kurds coming from Syria's Kurdish cities adjacent to
the Iraqi Kurdistan region. On Friday, the central government in Baghdad expressed its inability to receive
Syrian refugees because of the poor logistics and security situation in the Iraq. Syria has been wrecked
by bombings and violence against civilians since March 2011, when anti-government protests began. The
unrest has claimed thousands of lives. (IANS) (New Kerala 22/7/12)
Over 750 SL refugees return to the Island this year (13)
Chennai: Over 750 Sri Lankan nationals living in India as refugees have returned to their country this year
with the help of monetary support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
"Upto this year, over 750 persons have returned to their native Sri Lanka through UNHCR. And there are
over 100 applications which are being processed for August," a UNHCR official said. Over 1,670 refugees
who were living in special camps across Tamil Nadu returned to Lanka last year, while 2,040 persons
returned in 2010 through UNHCR. In addition to the air charge paid to them for their travel, UNHCR was
also paying them a road travel allowance of 4,000 Sri Lankan Rupiah for their travel from Colombo airport
to their home towns, he said. Presently, these persons start their travel from Chennai or Tiruchirapalli
airports, whichever is closer to their camp. There are over 68,000 persons from Sri Lanka, who constitute

36.73 per cent of the total number of refugees living in India. As on June 1 this year, there are over
100,000 persons from Tibet and 68,152 from Sri Lanka of the total 1,85,532 living in India as refugees.
(Zee News 24/7/12)
Over 1,50,000 displaced in violence (13)
Around 1,50,000 people fled their homes at the height of the group clash after it erupted on Friday last.
The displaced people, mostly, have taken shelter in government schools and buildings. Over 10,000
people in these trouble torn districts have escaped to neighbouring West Bengal. Trucks carrying
essential supplies are remaining stranded halfway. In Guwahati, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi held a
meeting of government officials, including the chief secretary, to monitor the situation. (Assam Times
25/7/12)
Refugees flee ethnic violence in India's troubled Assam (13)
Trucks loaded with women, children, mattresses and bags of rice rolled into a refugee camp in India's
northeastern Assam state on Thursday as security forces tried to stamp out some of the worst communal
violence in a decade with shoot-on-sight orders. The death toll from clashes between Bodo tribespeople
and Muslim settlers has risen to 44, Assam's chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, said after police reported
finding more bodies overnight. Police also opened fire on groups armed with sticks and spears for
violating a curfew. Fearing for their lives, tens of thousands of Muslims and Bodos have fled their homes
in remote hamlets along the border with Bhutan, and sought shelter in camps in larger towns. Roving
armed bands have set ablaze hundreds of tin-roofed homes, many made of hay and clay, in the nearly
week-long orgy of violence. Gogoi said 200,000 people had been displaced by the fighting. The relief
camp in a school in the town of Bijni is just one of nearly 60 hastily set up to cope with the flood of
refugees, officials said. Many of the camps lack food, water and security. Angry refugees surrounded a
group of state lawmakers visiting the Bijni camp on Thursday and demanded they take action. "Go back,
go back," they chanted. The lawmakers, clearly rattled by the encounter, cancelled plans to visit another
camp and returned to the state capital with a security escort. "There is no security at all," complained
Habibur Rahman, 45, who fled to Bijni school camp earlier this week along with his parents, sister, wife
and daughter. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who represents Assam in parliament's upper house, may
fly to the area on Saturday, his office said. Ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India's
northeast is home to more than 200 ethnic and tribal groups and has been racked by separatist revolts
since India's independence from Britain in 1947. In recent years, Hindu and Christian tribes have vented
strong anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment against settlers from mostly Muslim Bangladesh, which
neighbours Assam. The Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), a government-funded think
tank in New Delhi, said the government's failure to develop a coherent policy to deal with the ethnically
volatile region meant Assam would remain vulnerable to ethnic clashes and communal tensions in the
near future. The latest violence erupted days after floods killed more than 100 people and left at least
400,000 homeless in Assam. Bodos have felt marginalised in their homeland by waves of immigration
since the 1950s, accusing the central government of allowing the flow of immigrants to win votes from the
settlers. The IDSA said in its commentary the migration of large numbers of Muslim migrants had created
"enormous pressures on agriculture land, one of the vital means of livelihood for the indigenous
communities".In 1983, at least 2,000 people, mainly Bangladeshi immigrants, were killed in clashes in
central Assam, and in 2008 more than 50 people died in fighting between Bodos and Muslim settlers. The
violence of the past week has been concentrated in the Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, situated in a
narrow strip of land sandwiched between Bhutan and Bangladesh. Both districts were reported to be quiet
overnight after army reinforcements were dispatched to help police and paramilitary forces. But in recent
days the pattern has been for attacks to be carried out under the cover of darkness. Railway officials said
train services between Assam and the rest of India resumed, escorted by "pilot" engines carrying armed
guards, after attacks forced a halt earlier this week. (DNA 26/7/12)

Assam ethnic strife: Lack of food, water and medicines plague refugee camps (13)
People rendered homeless due to clashes between Bodos and minority immigrants have alleged lack of
sufficient food, drinking water and medicines in relief camps, a charge denied by authorities. A two-yearold
child and a 60-year-old man have also died in two relief camps in Bilasipara in Dhubri district, but the
cause of death was yet to be ascertained, official sources said. "The condition in most relief camps is
pathetic with food and drinking water in short supply. We fear there will be more deaths in the days to
come from disease," Bilasipara resident Monowar Hussain said. Of the three lakh people who have fled
their homes, 1,53,000 refugees have been housed in 118 camps in Dhubri district alone, with the
allegation against the district administration being that only rice and pulses were provided and that too in
insufficient quantity. A leading citizen of Dhubri Jahanuddin Ahmed said people collected money from
vehicles on national highways to buy supplies for the refugees. Another citizen Abdul Rashid alleged that
there was shortage of medicines and there were very few doctors which was causing problems for those
who were falling ill in camps. Dhubri Deputy Commissioner Kumud Kalita denied the allegations and said
that sufficient food was being provided. "There is no shortage of medicine either. Doctors are working
round-the-clock among refugees. Additional doctors are arriving from Guwahati to attend to them," Kalita
said. The refrain of among inmates in camps in worst-affected Kokrajhar and Chirang districts in the
Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD) was also the same. "We don't want to stay in relief
camps. We are human beings, we want to live in our homes and not like animals in relief camps where
we have to struggle for food," said 60-year-old Gobind Narzary in Kokrajhar, urging the government to
provide security so that they could return home. "Most of the inmates are still traumatised over the events
of the last week. We thought we will be safe and taken care of in camps, but are faced with several other
problems," said 54-year Jhunu Boro who was yet to come to terms with the killing of four youths at her
village Joypur in Kokrajhar. "Houses have been razed to the ground, our fields have been damaged and
our cattle killed. Now the condition in relief camps has made our lives unbearable," 42-year old Pramila
Goyary of Gossaigaon said. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who visited Kokrajhar yesterday to
review the situation, has directed the administration to ensure that there was no shortage of food, drinking
water and medicines for those in relief camps. (DNA 27/7/12)
Mamata assures shelter for Assam refugees (13)
Kolkata: Calling the situation in violence-raved areas of Assam "shocking", West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee Thursday pledged that the displaced people fleeing to her state would be provided
shelter. "The situation in Kokrajhar and other districts in Assam hit violence is shocking. Lot of people are
crossing over to Bengal from Assam following the violence. We will provide shelter to them," the chief
minister said at a government function here. She said the administration in the bordering districts has
given shelter to such people. "We consider it our social responsibility. We will provide them shelter and
food even if we remain unfed," she said. (IANS) (New Kerala 28/7/12)
Assam refugees to return home by Aug 15: Gogoi (13)
GUWAHATI: With the situation improving in violence-hit districts of Assam, refugees have started
returning home with the state government setting a August 15 deadline for all displaced persons to return.
Clashes between Bodos and minority immigrants in the violence hit districts had left 56 dead last month.
"The situation is returning to normal and people want to return home. We have fixed August 15 as the
date by when we want all displaced persons to return home," he told reporters here. A total of 278 relief
camps had been opened to shelter 4.06 lakh persons in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon and Dhubri
districts. Gogoi said refugees were being given food, medicine, baby food and Rs 500 in cash to buy
clothes and utensils and prefabricated structures and tents were being provided for those who lost their
homes. Speaking about security measures, Gogoi said 10 police pickets have been set up and 19 more
were expected by today. "We plan to have 104 pickets in place soon." On deployment of army and

paramilitary forces, he said the Centre has assured the state that forces would be in place as long as
necessary. Asked about the allegation by a former Bodoland Liberation Tigers leader that newly-formed
United Muslim National Army was involved in the recent clashes, Gogoi said "As we have not investigated
it, we cannot comment on it. There have been many allegations and counter allegations. "There will
definitely be a high-level inquiry into the origin of the clashes. Even the Prime Minister has talked about it.
Currently our priority is to ensure rehabilitation," he said. Gogoi said the state government plans to involve
local people in affected areas so that such events do not recur. "We want to involve all communities to
remove misunderstandings. We want to involve the Village Defence Committees, the local police. We
want to ensure that nobody feels insecure," he said. Curfew has been relaxed during the day though night
curfew will continue in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts, official sources said. (DNA 1/8/12)
Mali refugees in need of monetary support: UN (13)
New York: : In the midst of a visit to Burkina Faso, a United Nations top official Thursday urged countries
to provide support for the severely under-funded operation for the large number of refugees fleeing Mali.
“We have now 257,000 refugees from Mali who are going through an enormous level of suffering and
deprivation,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, during a visit to the Damba
camp, which is home to some 1,200 Malian refugees, in northern Burkina Faso. “They had to cross the
borders of very poor countries that have very dramatic food security problems: Niger, Mauritania and
Burkina Faso,” Guterres added in a news release. “They found a fantastic generosity in their host
countries that are sharing everything they have with them, but they did not find until now the attention of
the international community.” Accompanied by the US Assistant Secretary of State for Population,
Refugees, and Migration, Anne C. Richard, the UN refugee chief is in Burkina Faso to review the situation
for Malian refugees. In January, fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels resumed in
northern Mali. The instability and insecurity resulting from the renewed clashes, as well as the
proliferation of armed groups in the region and political instability in the wake of a coup d’état in March,
have led over 250,000 Malians to flee to neighbouring countries. Some 174,000 Malians are estimated to
be internally displaced. “We, the aid agencies, are struggling to provide [refugees] with basic needs in
water, food, sanitation and health,” Guterres said. In the news release, UNHCR said it is still struggling
with a severe lack of funding, despite a recent USD 10 million donation from the United States and
contributions from other donors. The agency has so far received USD 49.9 million out of the USD 153
million needed for the emergency operation. While in the Damba camp, Guterres visited the site’s
registration centre where a UNHCR team collects detailed information on number of refugees in official
sites to be able to provide them with adequate assistance according to their needs. The registration is
scheduled to take place in all official sites in Burkina Faso over the next few weeks, the agency said.
“When you have over 250,000 people in semi-desert areas of landlocked countries, with huge logistic
problems, and when those countries themselves are facing exceptional challenges, not only in relation to
development but also in their capacity to feed their own people, it is obvious that all the resources that we
can find are not yet in proportion with the needs we face,” Guterres said. “That is why I hope that the
attention of the international community will be more focused on the Mali situation.” Guterres is scheduled
to meet with Government officials, including the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on
Thursday in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou. They will also meet with other UN agencies and nongovernmental
partners to discuss the humanitarian situation in Mali and the repercussions on
neighbouring countries. (IBNS) (New Kerala 3/8/12)
13 refugees die in Assam relief camps (13)
GUWAHATI: Altogether 13 refugees have died while over hundred have been affected by malaria in
camps in Assam's Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts, which were rocked by recent violence, Health
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today. The health department was working in 303 relief camps in the
four affected districts and so far blood tests of 8102 refugees have been conducted with over hundred of

them testing positive for malaria, Sarma told reporters here. Altogether 117 doctors, including 30 deputed
by the central government, have so far treated 93,789 patients in the camps with 47 cases referred to
hospitals, he said. The doctors treated 14,944 patients for diarrhoea, 3,374 for dysentery, 23,088 fever,
22 for injury not related to riots and 35,982 for various other reasons. There were 4828 pregnant women
and 8,076 children in the camps, Sarma said. The department was taking all measures to ensure that an
epidemic did not break out in the camps. "We are concentrating on providing hygienic conditions in the
camps," he added. (DNA 4/8/12)
Gang tries to send refugee abroad (13)
New Delhi: Three persons, including a man who works at the airport, were arrested for trying to send a
Tibetan refugee to Switzerland through Kenya, police said. The refugee was also arrested for forgery
from Indira Gandhi International Airport. Jigmey Singe Wangchuk was arrested after immigration official
conducted a surprise check at the boarding gate of Kenyan Airlines flight KQ-221 on Thursday, said a
police official. Wangchuk was travelling without valid documents. During inquiry, immigration officials
found that Wangchuk was given clearance to fly to Kenya without valid documents. Wangchuk told police
that he was a Tibetan and he wanted to go to Switzerland for employment. In July, he came in contact
with a woman who assured him that she can send him to Switzerland and can also manage a good job
for him. “For this she charged Wangchuk Rs 5 lakh and that too, after reaching Switzerland,” said the
police official. She told him to represent himself as an Indian national on some of the documents and the
rest will be managed by her as she had a good working relationship with airline and immigration officers.
She said she will first send him to Kenya and then to Switzerland. The woman arranged the tickets for
Kenya Airlines for August 1 and handed them to him at Rajeev Chowk Metro station. She then introduced
him to two persons — Ranjit, a travel agent, and Aman Bhargava, who works with Cambata Aviation
Ground Handling agency. With the help of these two persons, Wangchuk got all formalities cleared and
immigration done without hassles. Wangchuk on August 1 midnight was about to board the plane when
he was caught during a surprise check by immigration officials.Wangchuk was handed over to police,
after which Ranjit and Aman Bhargava were arrested. They were produced before a city court and sent to
police custody for questioning. The main accused — the woman with the unknown name — is still
absconding. Police have registered a case under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (forgery)
and 470 (forged document or electronic record) of the Indian Penal Code with Indira Gandhi International
Airport police station. (Deccan Herald 6/8/12)
UN urges Bangladesh to allow aid to Myanmar refugees (13)
United Nations: The UN Refugee Agency is calling upon Bangladesh to allow provision of humanitarian
assistance to Myanmar refugees who have entered its territory, Xinhua quoted a UN spokesperson as
saying here Tuesday. "The UN Refugee Agency is appealing to the government of Bangladesh to ensure
that assistance from non-governmental organisations continues to be provided to some 40,000
unregistered people who have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state," said Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for UN
Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, at a daily briefing. "The agency is urging the government of Bangladesh
to reconsider its decision in line with its long tradition of hospitality towards people who fled Myanmar
over the years," he said. Violence broke out between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in
the Rakhine state of northern Myanmar after a Buddhist woman was raped and murdered May 28. Since
then, thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh to escape
violence. Last week, Bangladeshi authorities ordered three non-governmental organisations to stop their
activities in and around unofficial refugee camps in southeast Bangladesh. (IANS) (New Kerala 8/8/12)
POK refugees to protest before MPs residences (13)
Jammu: Demanding a compensation package for settlement of refugees in the Jammu region, the
refugees of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) will sit on dharna to protest against two MPs' alleged

failure to take up their cause with the central and state governments. "The POK Refugee Front 1947,
1965 and 1971 will hold a protest dharna in front of the residences of MPs Madan Lal Sharma and Lal
Singh on Thursday", POK Refugee Front, General Secretary Rachhpal Singh Chib told reporters here on
Thursday. "We demand a settlement package for the refugees and state government has already forward
the package for us but the Centre has failed to approve it", he asserted. The people of India and J-K are
aware that the three Indo-Pak conflicts had directly affected the refugee families and they lost all their
possessions, he said. No comprehensive settlement package, including compensation for their lost
property, loss of life, economic and political rights has ever been provided to these families, Chib claimed.
"A number of state and central official committees, working groups were constituted and All of them
recommended comprehensive settlement package for these refugees", he said, adding, "but nothing was
given to us".Two MPs from Jammu province - Madan lal Sharma and Lal Singh - have not taken any
interest in solving the problems of the province as a whole and refugees in particular, he alleged. The
protests will force them to raise the issue with the Central and state government and also be raised in the
current Monsoon Session of Parliament, he said. Interlocutors deputed by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh also recommended an honourable settlement package for the POK refugees, Chib said. With the
basic and fundamental rights of the people of the region remaining unsolved the future of the youth of
Jammu province would remain dark, Chib feared. (Zee News 9/8/12)
UN agency seeks USD 32 mn for Myanmar (13)
Geneva: A UN aid agency has appealed for USD 32.5 million to help rehabilitate victims of the recent
ethnic conflict in Myanmar. The communal clashes in Rakhine state have displaced some 64,000 people,
Xinhua quoted the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as saying. UN undersecretary-general
for humanitarian affairs Valerie Amos has released USD 5 million to enable immediate
shelter, food and sanitation support for those in need, it said. John Ging, OCHA's director of operations,
expressed concern for the displaced people after ending a four-day visit to Myanmar Thursday. (IANS)
(New Kerala 10/8/12)
Refugees must be protected: Sonia (13)
Guwahati: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has sought adequate security for about 2.4 lakh people
displaced by the Bodo-Muslim communal violence in western Assam to enable them to return home. At
least 77 people have died in clashes between the two communities since violence broke out on July
20. She also sought decongestion of the relief camps and removal of barricades so that she could interact
more closely with people living in the camps. Accompanied by Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
and Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, Gandhi toured the riot-hit areas on Monday. She visited two Bodo
tribal camps in Kokrajhar district and four migrant Muslim camps in Dhubri district. “People of both
communities want to go back home but fear is still lurking in their minds. They want security, and I have
asked the home minister (Shinde) and the chief minister (Gogoi) to take necessary steps,” the UPA
chairperson said. She, however, gave Gogoi a clean chit, saying his government handled the crisis well.
“I have asked the government to ensure there is no recurrence of violence,” she said. Gandhi gave
security officials a tough time breaking barricades to let her speak with camp inmates about their access
to food, healthcare and other facilities. Finding some camps overcrowded, she asked officials to ensure
more space for inmates and better supply of baby food. Following the flare-up last month, the state
government had set up 397 relief camps for about 4 lakh Bodos and Muslims. By the first week of August,
1.6 lakh people returned home and some 150 relief camps were shut down, the government claimed.
(Hindustan imes 14/8/12)
Eight held in Bangalore; over 10,000 leave city (13)
BANGALORE: Eight persons, including Muslims, Hindus and Christians, were arrested on Friday in
connection with attacks on people from the northeast residing here, Deputy Commissioner of Police

(Central) Ravikanthe Gowda said. Three companies of the Rapid Action Force had arrived in Bangalore
and three more were expected. Despite assurances from the government and heightened vigil, at least
10,600 people left by three special trains for Guwahati, besides the regular Bangalore-Guwahati Express,
on Friday, taking to over 24,000 the total number to have left the city since Wednesday. (The Hindu
18/8/12)
7-member central team visits violence-torn lower Assam (13)
Guwahati: A seven-member central team consisting of joint secretaries on Tuesday visited several relief
camps in strife-torn Korakrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts in lower Assam to take stock of the
situation. Official sources said that the team visited more than 81 relief camps spread over the three
districts including those at Bilasipara and Majpara in Dhubri district. The team took stock of the situation
and interacted with the camp inmates. The inmates, the sources said, told the members of the team that
there were adequate relief materials. The team was led by the joint secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs,
Shambhu Singh, S S Mathur, joint secretary drinking water, K K Srivastava, joint secretary disaster
management, Ravi Mittal, joint secretary planning commission, R S Shukla, joint secretary health, Navin
Prakash, joint secretary food, and Rajesh Bhusan, joint secretary rural development. The team has
assured the victims of security and supply adequate food stuff, the sources said. (Zee News 21/8/12)
Assam violence not Hindu-Muslim clash: Minister for Northeast (13)
New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS): The ethnic violence in Assam which led to an exodus of thousands of
northeastern people from other parts of India was not a Hindu-Muslim clash, a Central minister from the
region has said. But it did betray a trust deficit among people living in Bodo tribal areas, said Paban Singh
Ghatowar, the Minister of State (independent charge) for Development of the Northeastern Region. "The
ethnic violence in Kokrajhar is not a clash between Hindus and Muslims but (showed) a trust deficit
among the people," the minister told IANS in an interviw. Over 400,000 people were uprooted and over
75 killed in the terrible violence between tribal Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims which broke out in
Kokrajhar in July and spread to other areas. The clashes led to the most unexpected exodus of
northeastern people from Bangalore, Pune and Chennai after anonymous messages vowed to avenge
the killing of Muslims in Assam. Ghatowar agreed the recent clashes were related to disputes over land
rights. "Land is an issue there," he said. He clarified that no outsider can buy land in the areas under the
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area, but those who already have land rights can do so. The Bodos,
the largest of 34 tribal groups in Assam, have been fighting for autonomy since the 1960s. A militant Bodo
movement peaked in the 1980s and 1990s. Peace was established after the BTC was formed in 2003,
covering the four districts of Kokrajhar, Baska, Udalguri and Chirang. According to Ghatowar, out of the
over 400,000 uprooted people, as many as 170,000 have gone back to their homes. But more than
200,000 still remained in the shelter homes, apprehensive about their security. "We hope their confidence
will return," Ghatowar told IANS. The minister said the Assam government had taken steps to inject a
sense of security in the violence-hit areas including Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri. Besides, the army
remained on standby to meet any eventuality, he said. Terming the violence as a human tragedy, the
minister urged all political parties to come together to restore normalcy. "The prime minister has
announced Rs.300 crore for the development of the region. More money will be given if needed," said
Ghatowar, a Congress member of the Lok Sabha from Dibrugarh in Assam. (The Assam Tribune 21/8/12)
Australia hikes annual refugee quota to 20,000 (13)
Australia hikes annual refugee quota to 20,000 Melbourne: Australia on Thursday said that it was
stepping up its refugee intake to 20,000 from 13,750 annually -- the "biggest" increase in 30 years --
under new changes to its humanitarian programme which would focus on accepting more Afghans and
Sri Lankans as well as Burmese who are in India. The hike in the annual refugee quota is in line with one
of the key points of an expert panel's report on asylum seeker policy submitted to the Government earlier

this month, ABC reported. "It is the biggest increase to the humanitarian programme in 30 years," Prime
Minister Julia Gillard was quoted saying. She said the move was welcomed by other countries in the
region. "This is important because we want to send two messages to asylum seekers," she
said."Message number one, if you get on a boat, you are at risk of being transferred to Nauru or PNG. But
message number two, if you stay where you are then there are more resettlement places available in
Australia." Commenting on the new development, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the increase
would focus on taking more Afghan and Sri Lankan refugees, as well as Syrians and Iraqis who have fled
to refugee camps in Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon. "In terms of the make-up of the 20,000, I know there
will be interest where this will be targeted. Of course, key groups that will figure in the 20,000 are
Afghans, whether they be in Pakistan, Iran or Indonesia," he said, adding "Of course Sri Lankan refugees
will continue to figure in our programme, as will Burmese in Malaysia, Thailand and India.” "We'll continue
to work with the UNHCR on key resettlement outcomes for people from the Congo, Eritreans and
Ethiopians and other people in retracted situations in Africa." Bowen said the programme was expected to
cost around 150 million dollars in the next financial year. "At this stage the indications are that increasing
the humanitarian programme by an additional 6,250 places in 2012-13 will cost around 150 million
dollars, with a potential cost impact of 1.3 billion dollars over the forward estimates," he said. (Zee News
23/8/12)
Northeast burning: ‘Illegal’ immigrants with valid papers (13)
BEDLANGMARI VILLAGE (DHUBRI DISTRICT OF ASSAM): Bedlangmari is a stunningly beautiful patch
of land on the periphery of Kokrajhar, populated by Bengali-speaking Muslims. And almost all of them are
today in refugee camps, accused of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. But the entire lot is armed with
reams of what look like valid government documents - from electoral rolls with their father's name in it to
birth certificates, ration cards and judicial stamp papers signed by easily identifiable magistrates. Some
even have land tax records and live in Indira Awas Yojana houses. If they are illegal immigrants, who
gave them valid papers And if the documents are fake, then where did they get them from and who are
the signatories of what is clearly original data It's a question that both the Bodo Territorial Council in
Kokrajhar and the Tarun Gogoi government in Guwahati will soon need to answer if they want to see the
end of Bodo-Muslim conflicts that can spiral out of hand any time. For, if Muslims are illegal occupants of
tribal land, who gave them the various papers attesting their Indian citizenship And if, like them, the
documents, too, are fake, where did they get it from and who are the signatories of what are clearly
original data Is there a staggeringly huge business in these parts of providing such papers to new
Bangladeshi entrants or is there a larger, more sinister force at play here that no one can pin Illegal
immigration of Bangladeshis, for long a divisive issue in Assam with its nearly 30% Muslim population, is
once again at the heart of communal clashes that have ravaged large parts of Lower Assam, driving out
lakhs of people yet to find the courage to go back home. But while those from Bangladesh entering India
through Dhubri and other places illegally may already have made their way to the cities — as no one can
stay undetected in the villages for too long, what with local groups after the formation of BTC keeping an
eye on the movement of people and the areas crawling with intelligence men—many who've suffered are
poor, genuine Bengali-speaking Muslim citizens..... (Times of India 24/8/12)
Number of Syria refugees rises to 200,000: UN (13)
Moscow: The number of refugees fleeing Syria for neighbouring nations has risen "well above" 200,000
as the violence intensifies, the UN refugee agency has said. "There has been a dramatic increase in the
number of (Syrian) refugees in the region during August, we're now at over 200,000 refugees in the gion
that's over and above our planning figure for all 2012 of 185,000 refugees in the region," said Adrian
Edwards, a spokesperson for the UNHCR. Meanwhile, government forces have continued their assault
on rebel-held areas across the country. More than 70 people have been killed in a suburb of the capital
Damascus in three days, activists say. Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Edwards said a record

2,200 people crossed the border to Jordan Thursday night. There are currently 150,000 Syrian refugees
in Jordan, according to government estimates. Turkish authorities said that more than 3,500 Syrians had
arrived in the country till Friday, pushing the total number of Syrian refugees there to more than 78,000.
Around 51,000 Syrians have registered or applied to register with UNHCR in Lebanon, the agency said in
a press release. (IANS) (New Kerala 26/8/12)
‘BTC leaders agreed to take back refugees’ (13)
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi here on Thursday said that leaders of Bodoland Territorial
Council have agreed to start the rehabilitation process of all the genuinely displaced people back to their
villages in phased manner. Informing that in first phase all those who have their land in BTC would be
given settlement, Mr Gogoi told reporters, “The decision was taken in a meeting between group of
ministers and the leaders of Bodoland Territorial Council.” Stating that the GoM headed by Prithwi Manjhi
and BTC leaders would review the rehabilitation process again on September 6, Mr Gogoi said, “I have
spoken to BTC chief Hagrama Mahiliary who assured me that all those genuinely displaced people
irrespective of their caste, creed and religion would be given settlement on their respective places of
displacement.” Mr Gogoi also announced that his government has taken a decision to complete the
updating of National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in three phases and within three years time. Informing
that first year NRC updating will be done in 42 assembly segments, Mr Gogoi, in an obvious reference to
growing protest against foreigners in the state, said, “I admit that there are foreigners in the state but its
permanent solution is updating of the NRC.” Mr Gogoi also sought the help of civil society and all the
political parties in process of updating the NRC. “We are going to set up a special cell of officers for this
purpose that will start working in next two-three months,” said Mr Gogoi clarifying that a pilot project to
update the National Register of Citizenship was started in Goalpara but halted because of protest by a
section of people. (Asian Age 1/9/12)
US raps China over repatriation of Myanmar refugees (13)
WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday criticized China after accusations that it forced
thousands of refugees from Myanmar's Kachin minority back across the border despite ongoing fighting.
"We indeed remain concerned about the welfare of vulnerable Kachin on the China-Burma border. We
have urged China to implement a temporary protection program for those seeking refuge from the
conflict," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell. "The US government believes that the
refugees should only return home by their own choice and in conditions of safety and dignity," the
diplomat said. According to the Kachin Independence Organization and Human Rights Watch, China has
in recent days forced thousands of Kachin refugees to leave the southwestern Chinese province of
Yunnan and return to northern Myanmar. Tens of thousands of people have fled the fighting since June
last year when a 17-year ceasefire between the government and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) rebels
collapsed, with an estimated 5,000 seeking refuge in neighboring China. China's foreign ministry refuted
allegations of forced returns of refugees, saying they had crossed back "by their own volition when the fire
had ceased." In recent months, Myanmar's government has signed ceasefire agreements with several
ethnic minority rebel groups, but negotiations with the Kachin have so far been unsuccessful. (Times of
India 1/9/12)
Ensure safe return of Assam refugees, government urged (13)
Hyderabad: Speakers at a symposium here on Sunday asked the government to take urgent steps to
ensure safe return of the Assam refugees to their homes. The victims should be rehabilitated and
provided proper compensation as envisaged in the Communal Violence Bill using the Rs.300 crore grant
announced by the Prime Minister, they demanded. The symposium on “Persecution of Minorities:
branding own citizens as infiltrators” was organised by the Human Welfare Foundation, A.P. chapter, and
the Students’ Islamic Organisation of India, Hyderabad. The meeting urged the government to disarm the

militants as they were bent on exploiting the situation with an eye on the 2014 elections. “The Bodoland
Territorial Council should be dissolved and a new arrangement worked out in the light of the Bhupinder
Singh committee to ensure justice to all communities of the region”, they said. Hamed Mohammed Khan,
president, Movement for Peace and Justice, dubbed as ‘fallacious’ the theory of ‘infiltration’ and said the
decadal growth rate among Muslims in the trouble torn areas proved it. There was only two per cent
increase in Muslim population from 28 to 30 per cent and it was natural. “The conflict portrayed as
indigenous verses foreigners is a ploy to derive political mileage in the 2014 elections since the Mandir-
Masjid issue is dead”, Mr. Khan remarked. Zahid Qaudri of Hyderabad Helpline said the Assam imbroglio
was not a communal problem but a separatist movement. The Assam Gana Parishad came to power on
the single point agenda of throwing out infiltrators but could detect only 256 persons during its 10 years
rule. It ought to have deported the infiltrators in lakhs if they were there. Mr. Qaudri criticised the ‘hype’
about the exodus of ‘few thousand’ North Easterners from South India when nearly five lakh Assam
Muslims were in relief camps. Moreover, the exodus was the result of security concerns. “Which is a
bigger human rights tragedy”, he asked. Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, managing editor, Siasat, wanted the
fascist forces behind the Assam violence to be exposed. The problem was getting compounded with the
media calling Muslims as Bangladeshi instead of Assamese. Farhan Sumbul, member, SIO, wanted an
intellectual debate on the issue without raising passions. Assam was home to indigenous Assamesespeaking
Muslims and indigenous Bengali-speaking Muslims from East and West Bengal who settled
here before Independence. “It is a shame that all natural citizens are being dubbed as infiltrators”, he
said. Abdul Jabbar Siddiqui, general secretary, Human Welfare Foundation, said the Bodoland Territorial
Autonomous Districts areas did not have Bodo majority. It had a mixed population with Bodos comprising
just 29 per cent. He condemned the ‘shameful inhuman politics’ being played by right-wing politicians
terming the Muslim population of the region as illegal Bangaldesh migrants. (The Hindu 3/9/12)
UN says 100,000 refugees fled Syria in August (13)
GENEVA: More than 100,000 Syrians sought refugee status during August in what the United Nations
describes as an eye-popping escalation in the pace of departures since the hostilities began. The August
total accounts for more than 40 percent of the 234,368 Syrian refugees who, as of the last count on
September 2, had fled for surrounding countries since the uprising began 17 months ago, the U.N.
refugee agency said Tuesday. "If you do the math, it's quite an astonishing number,'' the agency's chief
spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming, told reporters Tuesday at the UN's European headquarters in Geneva.
"And it points to a significant escalation in refugee movement and people seeking asylum, and probably
points to a very precarious and violent situation inside the country.''The tide in people fleeing the civil war
underscores the intensifying violence between President Bashar Assad's regime and the armed antigovernment
groups. But even August's figure, which is the highest monthly total so far, only counts
refugees who are registered and those awaiting registration. Officials acknowledge the real number of
Syrian refugees is likely way above 200,000 since tens of thousands are believed to have not yet
registered with authorities. UN agencies will likely come under pressure to revise up their $193 million
estimate of the cost to help the refugees this year. That estimate in June was based on the expectation
that there would be 185,000 refugees from Syria by the end of 2012. Of the accounted number of
refugees, a little over 80,000 are in Turkey where the borders remain open. Another 8,000 or so waiting to
be processed at the border, Fleming said and the Turkish government is making plans to handle at least
150,000 refugees if the conflict keeps worsening. In recent weeks there has been an influx from the
besieged Syrian city of Aleppo and surrounding villages, alongside Idlib and Latakia, two areas where the
fighting has been intense. Jordan has more than 77,000 Syrian refugees, but officials there are bracing
for as many as 150,000 refugees and are straining to build more camps to accommodate all those flowing
in from Syria's south, where the uprising against Assad's government began in March 2011. Lebanon has
more than 59,000 refugees and Iraq nearly 18,700, according to the refugee agency. The refugee agency

and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are continuing to expand their operations to support displaced Syrians
and appealing to all nations to take in Syrians who need asylum. The UN's World Food Program
spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told reporters that her agency is scaling up operations to provide food
urgently needed by 1.5 million people this month, mainly in areas where there has been fighting and
people have been made at least temporarily homeless. The fighting has spread to the country's two
largest cities, the capital Damascus and the commercial hub of Aleppo. Byrs said more than 264,000
people are taking shelter in public buildings in the Aleppo region _ about 200,000 in rural areas and more
than 64,000 in the city proper. (Times of India (Times of India 5/9/12)
US resettles 60,000 Bhutanese refugees from Nepal (13)
Kathmandu: As many as 60,000 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in the US from Nepal where
they had taken refuge in the 1990s after being forced out of their country. On September 04, the 60,000th
Bhutanese refugee, departed from Nepal to USA. The 28-year-old woman will start a new life in
Columbus, Ohia, with her husband and young daughter, said a statement from the US embassy here.
The US, in close coordination with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), began resettling
Bhutanese refugees residing in eastern Nepal in 2007. Besides the US, which has accepted 60,000
refugees, some 11,000 have already settled in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway,
New Zealand, and the UK, as part of the third country resettlement programme initiated in 2007 in
association with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "The US is committed to considering
for resettlement as many Bhutanese refugees as express interest," said the US embassy. Initially, the US
government had expressed interest to accept a maximum of 60,000 Bhutanese refugees. Over 100,000
Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees have been residing in various camps of eastern Nepal since early
1990s after the Bhutan government introduced the 'One Nation One People' policy to resurrect the
Bhutanese cultural identity. After many rounds of bilateral talks held between Nepal and Bhutan failed to
repatriate even a single Bhutanese refugee, Nepal government agreed to resettle them in third countries
at the initiative of the UNHCR. (Zee News 6/9/12)
UN raises humanitarian appeal for Syrians (13)
New York: The United Nations and its partners Friday increased their humanitarian appeal for Syria from
USD 180 million to USD 347 million, given that the number of people in need has doubled since July to
2.5 million. The revised Syria Humanitarian Response Plan focuses on the priority areas of health, food,
livelihoods, infrastructure rehabilitation, community services, education and shelter, in Homs, Hama, Idlib,
Damascus, rural Damascus, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo, as well as areas hosting large numbers of internally
displaced people. It was launched at the Syria Humanitarian Forum in Geneva which brought together
over 350 participants from Member States, regional organizations, international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and UN humanitarian agencies to mobilize the necessary resources to provide
assistance to the hundreds of thousands of people uprooted by the conflict. “At the moment, the entire
civilian population inside Syria is gripped by fear and despair,” John Ging, the Director of the Coordination
and Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told
reporters after the Forum. “The basis for that fear is very real.” UN officials have been calling for
enhanced international support to respond to the growing crisis, which has been escalating in recent
weeks in many towns and villages, as well as the country’s two biggest cities, Damascus and Aleppo.
More than 18,000 people, mostly civilians, have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-
Assad began some 18 months ago. OCHA estimates that over 1.2 million people are internally displaced,
more than half of whom are children forced from their homes. There are also more than 245,000 Syrian
refugees in neighbouring countries, with more than 100,000 people registered as refugees in August
alone. “This begins to give you a sense of the scale of the tragedy that is unfolding, and the fact that it’s
escalating, rather than dissipating,” said Ging, who chaired the Forum. “It also presents for us on the
humanitarian side an enormous challenge,” he added. “Humanitarian action is not a solution in conflict.

The solution in conflict is political resolution that ends the conflict and takes the issues into a political
process. “But while there is failure to find that process even to bring about a political resolution to this
conflict and end to the violence, we in the humanitarian community have to step up and do more in
evermore dangerous circumstances to help people who are suffering more.” (IBNS) (New Kerala 8/9/12)
'Pak Hindu pilgrims do not intend to return back from India' (13)
Islamabad: Scores of Pakistani Hindu pilgrims currently in India's Rajasthan have said they do not intend
to return to their country, a media report said on Monday. A group of 171 Pakistani Hindus travelled to
Jodhpur on the Thar Express train on Sunday. Though the Hindus are on a pilgrimage, their leader said
they would not go back to Pakistan, according to BBC Urdu. The Samenath Lok Sangathan, an
organisation working for the welfare of Hindus, has appealed to the Indian government to accord refugee
status to the pilgrims. The Pakistanis were welcomed at Jodhpur railway station by SLS workers who
made arrangements for their stay and food. A spokesman for SLS, which has been working to resettle
Pakistani Hindus in India, said all 171 Pakistani Hindus, including 32 women and children, were residents
of Sanghar and Hyderabad cities of Sindh province. They belong to the Bheel tribe. Complaining about
the 'miserable condition' of Hindus in Sindh, one of the Pakistani pilgrims told BBC Urdu that his father
recently died but local Muslims did not allow him to perform the last rites. "We are feeling insecure
because of the alarming rise in Islamic extremism in Pakistan. We would rather die here (India) than go
back to Pakistan," the pilgrim said. The SLS spokesman said the Pakistanis who reached Jodhpur were
visibly shaken. "They are worried about their future because it is a matter between two countries," he
contended. Reports say Hindus, particularly those in Sindh, are victims of persecution, including forced
conversion to Islam, extortion demands and kidnapping for ransom. Reports in the Pakistani media have
said a sizeable number of Hindus are planning to seek asylum in India. On August 10, President Asif Ali
Zardari formed a parliamentary committee to investigate the persecution of Hindus. The committee
comprising parliamentarians visited different cities of Sindh and met Hindus. In its initial report, the panel
said Hindus had complained that the abduction of Hindu girls and their forced conversion had caused
resentment and a sense of insecurity in the minority community. (Asian Age 10/9/12)
Only 56 of the detained are known Lankan refugees (13)
Mangalore: While 48 of the detained – 42 men, five women and one boy - were traced to registries across
18 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, a further eight men were found to be unregistered Sri Lankan Tamil
refugees. Further investigation into the 84 people detained for attempting to illegally migrate to Australia
from Old Mangalore Port has revealed that only 56 are Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Talking to reporters on
Sunday, Inspector General of Police (Western Range) C.H. Pratap Reddy said much clarity was obtained
after two police officials from Tamil Nadu came to the city with a list of persons registered in refugee
camps there. While 48 of the detained – 42 men, five women and one boy - were traced to registries
across 18 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, a further eight men were found to be unregistered Sri Lankan
Tamil refugees. 21 persons – seven men, 10 women, one boy and three girls – were identified as citizens
of Tamil Nadu. As reported by The Hindu on Saturday, the men claimed to have come to the city to sell
used clothes at a market near the Old Port when they were picked up by the police. Three of those
detained were Tamilians living in Kundapur, Karnataka, while the remaining four were from Kerala, said
Mr. Reddy. Incidentally, policepersons in Pandeshwar Women’s Police Station had told The Hindu that a
few women detained had been previously booked for pickpocketing. Mr. Reddy, however, said this had
yet to be confirmed. Those from refugee camps were sent back in two buses on Sunday evening to
Chennai where the Commissioner of Rehabilitation would take the responsibility of documenting and
releasing them in their respective camps. The rest would be released, and were free to travel back, said
Mr. Reddy. The Mangalore City Police had arrested 13 men and detained the rest after raids in five
places late on Friday. Mr. Reddy said they had planned to go to Sri Lanka, and from there to Australia,
which has recently raised its limit on number of people who can seek asylum in the country, on a boat.

“The boat is not sea-worthy, and the conditions for the 84 people to travel in it would be sub-human,” he
said. The owner of the boat was detained for questioning and the extent of his involvement in the illegal
trafficking ring was yet to be ascertained, he added. The accused – nine identified to be Sri Lankan
Tamils, three from Tamil Nadu and one from Kerala – were produced in court, and until the order arrives
on Monday would remain in police custody, said Mr. Reddy. (The Hindu 11/9/12)
No valid papers, no rehab: Bodo leaders (13)
Guwahati: On a day when AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi made a whirlwind tour of three violenceaffected
districts of Assam and touched four relief camps, Bodo leaders, including Bodo People’s Front
chief Hagrama Mohilary, said that only those displaced people who had valid land documents would be
rehabilitated. Rahul visited four camps, three having Muslims and one having Bodos. While he kept away
from the media, Rahul chose to spend most of his time listening to the people who have been there for
more than eight weeks now. “We have told Rahul Gandhi that the state government and the BTC will
rehabilitate in the first phase only those who have valid land documents. We are yet to decide about
cases of those who do not have land documents but have documents to prove they are Indian citizens,”
Mohilary said in Kokrajhar. The BPF chief, it may be recalled, has been complaining of the presence of
“large number” of Bangladeshi infiltrators in Kokrajhar and other Bodoland Territorial Autonomous
Districts. “He mostly interacted with the inmates about food and healthcare. He asked the people how
soon they could return to their respective villages,” said Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka, who
accompanied Rahul during his visit to Gambaribil camp in Kokrajhar, which has 2,000 Bodos. Camp
inmates pressed Rahul for security in order to ensure their safe return to their respective villages. The
other camps that Rahul visited were in Lakhiganj High Madrasa (Dhubri), Kambelpur (Kokrajhar),
Basugaon (Chirang) — all having Muslims. (Indian Express 12/9/12)
Human Rights Watch demands UK to review 'Tamil allegations of torture' before deporting Lankan
refugees (13)
London: The United Kingdom should immediately suspend deportations to Sri Lanka of ethnic Tamils with
real or imputed links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or who have engaged in activities
which the Sri Lankan authorities might view as anti-government, Human Rights Watch officials have said.
According to a press release, the next scheduled deportation of Tamils from the United Kingdom to Sri
Lanka is due to take place on September 19, 2012. Investigations by Human Rights Watch have found
that some rejected Tamil asylum seekers from the United Kingdom and other countries have been
subjected to arbitrary arrest and torture or other ill-treatment upon their arrival in Sri Lanka. It has
therefore issued a document to the UK immigration minister, detailing 13 cases of alleged torture of failed
Tamil asylum seekers on return to Sri Lanka, the press release said. "In its haste to be tough on failed
asylum seekers, the British government is turning a blind eye to compelling evidence that Tamils
deported to Sri Lanka risk torture on arrival," said David Mepham, London director at Human Rights
Watch. In an instance, one Tamil man who returned from the UK in 2005 made another attempt at fleeing
Sri Lanka in 2008 and was returned to the country in January 2010. He told Human Rights Watch about
his torture at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department in Colombo and at an army camp
in Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka where he was subsequently transferred. "I was hung upside down and
beaten with truncheons and hot metal rods. I was stripped naked in both detention sites. I was sexually
abused on two or three occasions in Vavuniya. The perpetrators were uniformed army personnel," he
said. The Sri Lankan security forces have long used torture against people deemed to be linked to the
LTTE, and growing evidence indicates that Tamils who have been politically active abroad in peaceful
opposition to the government may be subject to torture and other ill-treatment, Human Rights Watch said.
"The UK government has not explained why it condemns Sri Lanka's use of torture but rejects evidence
before the UK Border Agency that demonstrates the danger of torture to Tamil deportees. It is time for a

serious rethink so that what the UK says in its foreign policy is reflected in how it acts in its immigration
policy," Mepham said. (ANI) (New Kerala 15/9/12)
BTAD refugee continue to leave camps (13)
The violence-hit people in BTAD areas ad Dhubri district are leaving the refugee camps even as the
government steps up efforts to send them back to their homes. According to official sources, altogether
1,87,052 persons affected by the violence are still lodged in 206 camps even after nearly two months
since trouble broke out in five districts. The refugees include 1,68,875 Muslims housed in 174 camps,
17,344 Bodos in 29 camps and 833 belonging to the other communities in three camps. Dhubri has the
highest number of 1,01,373 inmates in 129 camps followed by Kokrajhar with 55,760 inmates in 43
camps, Chirang with 23,609 inmates in 22 camps, Bongaigaon with 5554 inmates in nine camps and 756
people in three camps of Barpeta. There were altogether 4,85,921 inmates in 340 relief camps during the
height of the violence which began on July 19 claiming 96 lives. (Assam Times 16/9/12)
Tamil refugees return to Sri Lanka from India (13)
Colombo: A group of over 70 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have returned from India, officials said
Wednesday. They returned yesterday under an ongoing UN refugee agency programme. Over 5,000
refugees have already returned to the country under the UNHCR programme. Under the programme, the
UN body offers cash grants to returnees as livelihood support. Over 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees were
housed in Tamil Nadu. The refugees had fled the country due to the outbreak of violence in the north and
east provinces during nearly three-decade long civil war. Some of them have lived in refugee camps
since 1990. However, with the end to the conflict in 2009 more and more have shown willingness to
return, officials said. (Zee News 19/9/12)
75 more Pak Hindus raise pitch for Indian citizenship (13)
JALANDHAR: Even as Punjab home department has sent verifications of 125 Pakistani Hindus to Union
home ministry to process their cases further for being granted Indian citizenship, a delegation of 75 more
Pakistani Hindus have raised their demand for the same. The delegation members, led by All India Shiv
Sena president Surinder Kumar Billa, met deputy commissioner Priyank Bharti demanding that their
applications be also processed. Interestingly, some of these refugees even have ration cards and voter ID
cards The DC told TOI that he had asked them to apply with their documents after which the official
process of verifications would start. On August 21, the Punjab home department had sent a list of 125
Pakistani Hindus stating that their applications had been verified by Jalandhar DC. However, 75 Hindus,
who also migrated around a decade back, are still in the lurch and their documents are yet to be verified.
"I along with my family migrated around four decades back along with my three sons. Citizenship is still
eluding us," said 90-year-old Sain Dass, while being watched by his wife Munni Devi. Another Pakistani
Hindu Bihari Lal said that his family migrated around 32 years back. "Though we even have ration cards
and voter ID cards but we are still not citizens of India and an element of uncertainty always looms over
us," he said. Another migrant Banarsi Lal (54) said that several of them had ration cards and ID cards but
no citizenship. Some women, who were part of the delegation, revealed that they were married to Indian
citizens but they themselves were yearning for the same status. "My husband is a local citizen and we
have four children but I am still not an Indian citizen," said Neelam, who came here along with her family
in 1998 and married in 1999. (Times of India 19/9/12)
'71% of total voters in Jiribam are migrants' (13)
Jiribam, September 21 2012: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System, Kangleipak on Thursday
claimed that 71.5% of the total voters in Jiribam Sub Division are migrants from different parts of India
and other countries. Addressing reporters after an inspection tour of Barak Circle of Jiribam Sub Division
along with representatives of student organisations, Convener of the Committee Sapamcha Jadumani

said that Manipuris residing in Barak Circle are not getting the facilities or rights to study in their own
mother tongue/scripts and appealed to the ZEO and other authorities concerned to look into the matter.
Expressing resentment over the ban of Meeteis from contesting in recent Panchayat Election in quota of
Muslim, he said that government should not give the right to contest election to the illegal migrants. He
also urged the government to identify illegal migrants in Barak circle who have even acquired voter ID
cards through corrupt officials. (Manipur: E-Pao 21/9/12)
Over 700,000 Syria refugees by year-end: UN agency (13)
New York Times : The number of Syrians fleeing to neighbouring countries for safety and aid is likely to
exceed 700,000 by the end of the year, according to the United Nations and humanitarian agencies
struggling to keep pace with the dramatic surge in numbers in recent weeks. More than half a million
Syrians have already fled the civil war in their county and made their way to surrounding countries, the
United Nations’s refugee agency estimates, but only 294,000 have registered as refugees or are waiting
to do so. If the present trend continues, the number of registered refugees is likely to reach 710,000 by
the end of the year, Panos Moumtzis, the agency’s regional coordinator for Syrian refugees said on
Thursday. Three-quarters of the arrivals are women and children. Many arrive with only the clothes on
their backs and are traumatized. “This is not business as usual,” Moumtzis said, beginning an appeal for
$488 million to finance an international relief effort that he acknowledged had been overwhelmed by the
speed and scale of the refugee outflow. With the approach of winter, Moumtzis said, “We are running out
of time, and we need the funding urgently.” In March, with only 41,500 Syrians registered in neighbouring
Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, the United Nations had planned to meet the needs of 98,000 refugees
and appealed for $84 million. By June, the United Nations was trying to cope with 185,000 refugees and
asked donors for $193 million. But more than 100,000 Syrian refugees crossed into neighboring countries
in August and 60,000 so far this month, Moumtzis said. With deteriorating security inside Syria, refugees
are continuing to arrive at a rate of 2,000 to 3,000 a day. (Indian Express 28/9/12)
About 75,000 Rohingyas in Myanmar camps: Refugee International (13)
Bangkok: Up to 75,000 Muslim Rohingyas are housed in temporary camps under poor conditions, four
months after violence broke out between Buddhist and Muslim communities in western Myanmar’s
Rakhine state, Refugees International said Saturday. “There are somewhere between 65,000 to 75,000
Rohingyas living in camps in Sittwe,” said Sarnata Reynolds, programme manager for statelessness at
the advocacy group for refugee rights. Although the camps in the state capital, located 500 kilometres
north-west of Yangon, are receiving humanitarian aid from the United Nations and Medicines Sans
Frontiers, sanitary and health conditions were bleak, it said. “We went to a school that has 1,800 living in
it in one big room with two latrines and no showers,” Ms. Reynolds said. “There is acute malnutrition and
some cases of tuberculosis.” A Refugees International team was permitted last week to visit eight camps
for Rohingya refugees in Sittwe. The refugees have been living in the camps since mid-June when
communal fighting in Sittwe forced the vast majority of the Muslim Rohingya population to flee. Out of the
12 Rohingya neighbourhoods previously in Sittwe, one remained. Its estimated 8,000 residents have
been barricaded into the neighbourhood. “This community was able to defend themselves during the
violence, but now they are restricted to their neighbourhood,” Ms. Reynolds said. “If they leave, they face
attack or arrest.” An informal system of traders is providing the community with food, she said. Refugees
International called on the Myanmar government to take steps towards bringing the Rohingya displaced
by the violence back to Sittwe and in the long term to provide citizenship for the Muslim minority group.
The Rohingya, who number about 800,000 in the three northernmost Rakine townships, have been
legally discriminated against in Myanmar for decades. Their statelessness dates to the 1982 Citizen Law,
which identified 135 ethnic minority groups in Myanmar. It excluded the Rohingya and stipulated that
people of Indian and Chinese descent who could not prove their ancestry predated the 1824-1948
colonial period were not entitled to citizenship. The plight of the Rohingya came to world attention with the

June clashes, which left at least 89 dead and about 90,000 displaced. About 3,000 Buddhist Rakhine
were also displaced by the violence and they also continue to live in temporary camps, Ms. Reynolds
said. (The Hindu 29/9/12)
Naga campaign against illegal migrants launched (13)
DIMAPUR: The Public Action Committee on illegal immigrants (PAC), which faced stiff opposition in
launching a campaign against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Dimapur, finally started the " Pledge
Campaign" on Tuesday morning. Most Naga tribes supported the move. The campaign aims to create
awareness in Nagaland about illegal immigrants, whose population has increased in leaps and bounds in
the last few decades, posing a serious threat to the indigenous people of the state. Launching the
campaign, Naga Council Dimapur president Savi Liegise said it has become important for the people to
take steps to prevent flow of illegal immigrants and therefore a non-violent and peaceful initiative has
been taken, wherein all Nagas would have to give their signatures pledging that they would not entertain
illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Liegise lamented that in the last 47 years of statehood, the government
has been able to detect only 28 illegal immigrants and nothing has been done to stop their inflow. He said
during these years, no awareness has been created about the migration of illegal immigrants to
Nagaland. Liegise also took a dig at the state government for remaining silent over the looming threat and
said even the Special Task Force (STF) announced by the government in April this year to detect illegal
immigrants has not done anything till now. Explaining the reasons for forming PAC, he said illegal
immigrants have been found involved in thefts, rapes and other illegal activities and that there was a need
to check such crimes. He said the launch of the campaign on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti assumes
great significance as it is voluntary and not forced. (Times of India 3/10/12)
'Give one-time grant of Rs 50 lakh per family to KP migrants' (12)
Jammu: Displaced Kashmiri Pandits today demanded one-time grant of Rs 50 lakh per family of migrants
for their rehabilitation in Kashmir Valley. "We unanimously appeal to the state and the central
governments to urgently rehabilitate KP migrants in the Valley at secure places and in this regard grant
one-time compensation of Rs 50 lakh per migrant family," president of Jagti Tenament Committee, Shadi
Lal Pandita said at a meeting in Jagti township here today. He rejected the rehabilitation of Kashmiri
Pandits at their ancestral villages in Kashmir and said, "We appeal for immediate rehabilitation at one
safe and secure place." There is urgent need for immediate remedial steps to save the culture, heritage
and identity of migrants and rehabilitation is one such step, he said. He demanded that 4,600 posts under
the prime minister's employment package may be advertised and filled up from amongst the migrant
youths. Government should also take immediate steps to restore status of religious places in the Valley
by reconstruction, repairs, abandoning illegal encroachments on the lands and properties of religious
places, he said. (Indian Express 3/10/12)
Naga campaign against illegal migrants launched (13)
DIMAPUR: The Public Action Committee on illegal immigrants (PAC), which faced stiff opposition in
launching a campaign against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Dimapur, finally started the " Pledge
Campaign" on Tuesday morning. Most Naga tribes supported the move. The campaign aims to create
awareness in Nagaland about illegal immigrants, whose population has increased in leaps and bounds in
the last few decades, posing a serious threat to the indigenous people of the state. Launching the
campaign, Naga Council Dimapur president Savi Liegise said it has become important for the people to
take steps to prevent flow of illegal immigrants and therefore a non-violent and peaceful initiative has
been taken, wherein all Nagas would have to give their signatures pledging that they would not entertain
illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Liegise lamented that in the last 47 years of statehood, the government
has been able to detect only 28 illegal immigrants and nothing has been done to stop their inflow. He said
during these years, no awareness has been created about the migration of illegal immigrants to

Nagaland. Liegise also took a dig at the state government for remaining silent over the looming threat and
said even the Special Task Force (STF) announced by the government in April this year to detect illegal
immigrants has not done anything till now. Explaining the reasons for forming PAC, he said illegal
immigrants have been found involved in thefts, rapes and other illegal activities and that there was a need
to check such crimes. He said the launch of the campaign on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti assumes
great significance as it is voluntary and not forced. (Times of India 3/10/12)
No government policy to resettle displaced (13)
JAIPUR: Jaipur Development Commissioner Kuldeep Ranka had personally appeared in court and
pleaded on humanitarian ground that the state government frame a policy to rehabilitate those displace
from the nullah. This was corroborated by senior advocate RN Mathur appearing for JDA. "Most of them
are very poor and hail from the lower strata of the society and a humanitarian approach is expected from
courts. We request the court to reconsider the rehab policy so that the government may go ahead with
framing a policy so that it eases the JDA's efforts to remove the encroachments and also ensure that the
displaced people get a new home," argued Mathur. Additional advocate-general R P Singh, however,
strongly opposed the proposal and made it clear that rehabilitation was not on the government's agenda.
There is no policy as of now to provide any substitute land to these displaced persons. "This is not the
right time to urge the government to frame a policy for the displaced persons. Instead, we are focussed
on seeing the nullah restored to its original dimensions within a month and action be taken against the
guilty officials," observed the bench. "The JDA is playing on the sentiments of the displaced persons, but
the civic body must not forget that Jaipur is home to more than 50 lakh people and the inconveniences
caused by the shrinking of Amanishah nullah should be considered sternly by the JDA," added Bench.
(Times of India 4/10/12)
Government has slowed riot victims' rehabilitation: (13)
GUWAHATI: The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has alleged that the state government has
slowed down the rehabilitation process of people displaced by ethnic clashes in Bodoland Territorial
Areas District (BTAD). AIUDF president and Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal claimed that the speed with
which the rehabilitation process started from about two months ago has slowed by now. "There are still
thousands of displaced people languishing in relief camps in BTAD and Dhubri. But the rehabilitation
process has significantly slowed down. We also don't see much effort from the group of ministers formed
to facilitate rehabilitation of displaced people," alleged Ajmal. He said with the delay in rehabilitation, the
woes of people living in relief camps have increased manifold by now. AIUDF said education has also
suffered significantly with the delay in rehabilitation process as many school buildings are still used as
relief camps. "Turnout of students in schools which are still being used as relief camps is very low.
Classes have virtually stopped. Education is badly affected because of the delay in rehabilitation," added
Ajmal. On Saturday, Ajmal wrote to chief minister Tarun Gogoi highlighting the plight of children in relief
camps, saying that they were being deprived of education and were still unable to attend classes. "These
children have lost their valuable academic year. There future is uncertain now. The temporary schools
arranged by the government are not sufficient to cater to the educational needs of these children," wrote
Ajmal. He said many students of BTAD were still unable to attend classes in higher educational
institutions located in Kokrajhar district primarily because of security issues. "The government should
make alternative arrangements for them by facilitating these students to attend classes in other
institutions outside BTAD," he added. According to government statistics, 1, 64, 402 inmates are still
staying in 194 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon and Dhubri districts. (Times of India
6/10/12)
Bombardment and refugees testing Turkey (13)

On Sunday, Uday Fandi was helping to run the family stall in a bustling street market in northern Syria.
Yesterday, the 13-year-old boy lay semi-conscious and clinging to life, his shattered body swathed in
white bandages.One of President Bashar al-Assad's jet fighters had dropped a bomb on the crowded
market in the town of Manbij. Uday's father, Ibrahim, carried the boy on an agonising journey over the
border into Turkey, where he lay in a hospital bed. "He was still bleeding when we arrived here," said
Fandi. "He was bleeding for the whole journey." Compared with the cauldron that much of Syria has
become, Fandi and his son have found relative safety in the Turkish frontier town of Kilis. Yet their
country's war may still pursue them here. For Syria's bloodshed is inexorably spilling over the nation's
borders, vindicating a grim prophecy made by Kofi Annan. Back in June, the former United Nations
secretary-general predicted that Syria's rebellion would not be contained in the way that other
insurrections against brutal regimes had been. "Syria is not Libya," said Annan. "It will not implode - it will
explode." People living along Turkey's 500-mile border with Syria know the truth of this forecast. The era
when Assad's pitiless struggle claimed the lives of the innocent only within his bloodstained domain has
clearly ended. Instead, his campaign has escalated beyond civil conflict and is rapidly becoming a
regional war. To adopt Annan's parlance, Syria is indeed "exploding" before our eyes. The most poignant
proof is offered by the remains of a modest family home in Turkey's border town of Akcakale. Here, the
walls are pockmarked by shards of jagged shrapnel, showing where a Syrian mortar bomb killed five
Turkish civilians, including a mother and her three daughters. In the aftermath of this tragedy last
Wednesday, some observers - including Western diplomats in Ankara - predicted that Turkey and Syria
would draw back and quietly de-escalate the situation. Instead, cross-border bombardment has become a
daily event. Yesterday, the Syrian army was at it again, firing mortar rounds into the Turkish province of
Hatay and causing its neighbour to retaliate in kind. This was Syria's third such attack on Turkish territory
since the Akcakale killings, although mercifully with no further casualties so far. In the first nine months of
2012, Syrian shells or mortar bombs are known to have exploded inside Turkey on seven occasions. In
the past six days alone, there have been four such barrages. That stark contrast suggests that greater
forces are at work than overzealous or reckless local commanders. Today, the rebel Free Syrian Army
dominates a swath of territory along the country's northern frontier with Turkey. That matters a great deal,
because the insurgents also control formal border crossings, through which they are able to move
recruits, weapons and supplies. Assad's options for dealing with this threat are extremely limited. He
could launch a ground assault on the rebel zone of control, but his overstretched army, heavily engaged
in a vicious battle of attrition in the streets of Aleppo, probably lacks the troops for the task. That leaves
him with two options: either turn a blind eye to the FSA's dominance of Syria's borderlands, or pound this
region with mortars and artillery - even if this means that shells and bombs fly over the frontier into
Turkey. The daily round of cross-border bombardment suggests that Assad has chosen the latter option.
Instead of a series of mistakes, the most plausible explanation for the attacks on Turkish soil is that
Syria's dictator has consciously decided to escalate. This should not have come as a surprise. At every
stage of this conflict, Assad has shown himself willing to cast aside the restraints on his campaign to save
his regime. The air raids that his jet fighters now mount on rebel-held towns provide the most graphic
evidence. For the first year of the uprising, Syria's Russian-supplied MiG and Sukhoi attack aircraft
remained firmly on the ground; now they are in action day after day. The next logical step would be for
Syrian commanders to commence long-range bombardments of rebel-held territory, regardless of the risk
of hitting Turkey. In the past six days, that phase of Assad's campaign appears to have begun. In the
process, more and more people are being forced from their homes. Syria is not only "exploding", in the
literal sense that dangerous projectiles are being lobbed into a neighbour; the country is also expelling
enough of its citizens to strain the tolerance and hospitality of other states. Turkey now hosts about
93,000 registered Syrian refugees in 13 camps, but at least another 40,000 or 50,000 are undocumented
and probably staying with relations or renting their own accommodation. Last week there was a street
demonstration against the new arrivals in Hatay province, where many people are from the same Alawite
sect as Assad and resent the largely Sunni refugees. So far, that does not reflect the general mood in

Turkey. In Kilis, a camp holds about 13,000 refugees and many are grateful for the safety and hospitality
provided by the country. "I feel myself a human being here," said Sahada Allavi, 40, who fled Syria five
months ago. "If they see one piece of rubbish near the place where I stay, they clear it." (DNA 9/10/12)
Refugees’ dream to migrate turns sour (13)
TUTICORIN: Fifty-five Sri Lankan Tamil refugees were detained by the police on Tuesday night while
attempting to travel to Australia illegally. After taking shelter at Vekkaliamman Temple at Sindhalakarai in
Tuticorin district, the refugees were about to get into boats to Kerala without passports. Tuticorin ‘Q’
Branch police detected them following a tip-off from the temple administrators. The refugees, belonging to
25 families, were from Tiruchi, Rameswaram, Chennai and Chidambaram. They were staying in the
temple for the past two days. The incident came just days after Australian High Commission officials
made it clear that the country would not entertain asylum-seekers attempting to enter illegally. An
investigation revealed that they were hoodwinked by a Tiruchi-based agent, Ramanan. He, along with his
driver Sukesh has gone underground and a hunt has been launched. It is alleged that he took money –
ranging from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 1 lakh – from the refugees promising them jobs in Australia. Ramanan left
his eight-year-old daughter Dwaraka with the refugees and fled. It was found that the vehicle used by him
carried a false registration number. The refugees were to be taken to more temples along the east coast
before reaching Kerala. A report had been sent to the government. (The Hindu 11/10/12)
Police gear up to nab agent as stranded refugees curse their luck (13)
TUTICORIN: A group of 55 Sri Lankan refugees, who were stopped from travelling to Australia illegally in
an attempt to obtain asylum, are still being kept at Vekkaliamman Temple in Sindhalakarai under
Ettayapuram police limits where they were found stranded. The police are gearing up to nab a Tiruchibased
agent, Ramanan, who lured the refugees with the promise of jobs in Australia and collected huge
sums. Santhan of Srinivasa Nagar in Tiruchi liaised between the agent and the refugees. Aggrieved at the
loss of money, most of the refugees are looking forward to getting back to their habitations at the earliest.
V. Mohandoss (50) of Trincomalee, who arrived in Tiruchi a couple of months back on a three-month visa,
handed over Sri Lankan currency valued at Rs. 7 lakh to the agent. “I sold my shop, bike and fancy
articles at home. After paying the sum sought, I have only Rs. 50,000 to meet living expenses,” he
laments. Limping with an injured leg, S. Bala (30) of Srinivasa Nagar, alleged that Ramanan promised
him a placement in an Australian supermarket. Initially he demanded Rs. 2 lakh but, after negotiations,
Rs. 50,000 was agreed upon. Bala, who owns a shoe mart in Tiruchi, said he had borrowed money for
the surgery of his leg, after injuring himself in a bike accident recently. He had also borrowed huge sums
from lenders to meet the education expenses of his three sisters. “Hence, the opportunity to earn money
sufficiently in Australia enticed me.” He said before they were dropped at the temple they were left in an
isolated place at Tuticorin. Only after the police took them into custody was food served three times a
day. T. Thirumaran (27) of LIC Colony, K.K. Nagar, Tiruchi, a tailor, gave in to the agent’s demand for Rs.
4 lakh and mobilised the money by pledging his wife’s jewels. The couple have a one-year-old son. He
said the refugees handed over their cell phones to the agent, who instructed them not to use them till they
were placed in their jobs. While 12 of the refugees are from camps in Tiruchi, Chennai, Mandapam,
Tenkasi and Chidambaram, 33 are staying outside camps. Ten of them who had settled outside were in
possession of passports, police sources said. Efforts were on for the safe release of the refugees at the
earliest. (The Hindu 12/10/12)
Over 100,000 Syrian refugees shelter in Turkish camps (13)
Istanbul: The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey reaches 100,363, as announced by Turkish
government on Monday. Turkey hosts the Syrian refugees in 13 tent cities in different provinces. There
are 5 tent cities in Hatay, 2 in Sanliurfa, 3 in Gaziantep, 1 each in Kahramanmaras, Osmaniye and
Adiyaman. Kilis province has established a container city with the capacity to shelter 12,000 people.

Since the conflicts broke out in Syria, more than 30,000 Syrians have lost their lives. Over 1.2 million are
displaced and nearly 250,000 fled Syria and became refugees in neighboring countries such as Turkey,
Jordan and Lebanon. Two months ago, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey could
take no more than 100,000 Syrian refugees and proposed a buffer zone inside of Syria to shelter them.
However, Turkey postpones its buffer zone plan due to the lack of international support (New Kerala
16/10/12)
Jharkhand to constitute displacement commission (13)
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda Friday announced the constitution of a Displacement
Commission to look into the grievances of displaced people. "We will soon constitute a Displacement
Commission to look into the grievances of the displaced and ensure social security for them. The
displaced people will be able to lodge complaints before the commission and the commission will look
into the complaints," said Munda to reporters during his Johar (gratitude) Yatra in Chaibasa Friday. "The
Jharkhand government is not in favour of any projects at the cost of the state's people. People displaced
by roads, irrigation, industries and other projects should get compensation, social security and other
things," he added. More than 20 lakh people have been displaced in the state over the years for steel,
mining, irrigation and other industrial projects. (New Kerala 19/10/12)
Refugees denied basic facilitiesm (13)
New Delhi: Nepali and Bangladeshi refugees and their children staying in Delhi are denied basic facilities
like education due to lack of identity cards, organisations working with refugees told a national
consultation on migrant and refugee children in India. “Nepali workers and their families are allowed to
enter and move freely in India without a visa. According to rough estimates, nearly three million people
are migrant workers from Nepal, but the actual number is much higher,” Rajendra Ghimire from the
Forum for People’s Rights in Kathmandu. “Children get fake age documents to work in India and they
mostly come to the metros such as Delhi and Mumbai.” Ghimire added his organisation discovered in a
recent study that over 17,000 children came to India in a span of three months but only 8,000 children
returned to Nepal. Most children travel without documents and end up in jails or engage in rag picking,
factory work, prostitution and even petty crimes to earn their living. Tikaram Pokrel from the Nepali
Migrant Association, Delhi, pointed out that children do not get access to early childcare facilities and
education in the city. “Since they do not have appropriate ID proof, they are denied admission in
government schools. Plus, they face language problems which is why they take up work at restaurants,
factories and even face sexual abuse,” Pokrel said. Trafficking is another major issue among girls and
young women. “Most of the women offer sex in exchange of smuggled products from countries we share
our borders with. Children, especially from Bangl-adesh, are mostly caught on their way back from India
and there are no rehabilitation facilities for them,” said Roop Sen from Sanjog in Kolkata. “They are forced
into different kinds of work and our people are discriminated by locals who say that we do not belong here
as we were brought to India as slaves,” he said. Mohammed Salim, another member of the Rohingya
community highlighted that the identity cards provided by the United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) does not help children get admission in Delhi schools. “Some of us try to teach children in
groups in our language as they do not understand Hindi or English. But we want our children to have a
better future,” he said. Even Bangladeshi and Chin (Burmese) refugees face similar levels of
discrimination. They are often caught by police whenever there is a crime in the area in which they live.
(Deccan Herald 20/10/12)
Guwahati school served as refugee camp during 1962 war (13)
GUWAHATI: It started as a border skirmish and turned into a full-blown war that came to be known as
Chinese Aggression in history. The autumn of 1962 will be forever etched in the minds of those who were
witness to the aggression as the war that India lost against a huge and well-equipped Chinese army. For

the denizens of the city gripped in paranoia and disheartened by the feeling of being abandoned by the
rest of the country, the pouring in of refugees from the eastern battle front of NEFA into Guwahati was a
scene of human gratification. It was Sonaram High School that opened its doors to the refugees from
Bomdila and other places in and around NEFA. The teachers and students were enrolled as people incharge
and volunteers respectively; some social organisations also came forward to help the refugees.
The teachers had to monitor the situation constantly and take care of the refugees. With rumours of a fullscale
Chinese invasion of the region and air raids, the fear-struck denizens of the city had to rely on
prayer and hope. But for Kumudueshwar Hazarika, a septuagenarian and a noted chronicler of the city,
the job assigned to him even at a time of fear and panic was more important. Hazarika was then a young
school teacher of Sonoram High school and one of the people in-charge of the refugees. "It was a time of
fear and panic for the people. There was the fear of being invaded and the fear of being bombed at night.
But I was one of the teachers put in-charge of the refugees and I wanted to do my job well. I remember
refugees arriving in great numbers and they were all housed in the Sonoram High School. All the
classrooms of the school had to be rearranged to accommodate the refugees. They were mostly from
Bomdila and other places from erstwhile NEFA," said Hazarika. "They were a few hundreds refugees and
they were quite shaken up. The fear of leaving their homes behind showed clearly on their faces. But the
government provided with help and we were asked to look after their needs and help them. Sonoram
High School was the only refugee camp in Guwahati," added Hazarika. (Times of India 21/10/12)
S Lanka removes over 860,000 mines and booby traps (13)
Colombo: The Sri Lankan Army Sunday said that over 860,000 mines and booby traps have been
removed since the end of the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. Brig. Dhananjith Karunaratne,
commander of the army's engineer brigade, said that 470,000 anti-personnel mines, 1,400 anti-tank
mines, 390,000 booby traps, and other improvised explosive devices have been removed since the end
of the 39-year-long conflict, reported Xinhua. The army media unit quoted him as saying that over 80
percent of the initial 5,000 square km that had been heavily mined by the rebels have now been cleared.
The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) of the US has honored the Sri Lanka Army for having the best Mine
Detection Dog Team for the year 2012. The Sri Lankan team was selected for the prestigious award out
of 107 teams representing 11 countries, the Sri Lanka Army added. Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the US
Jaliya Wickramasuriya said that before the war-displaced people could be resettled, vast areas of land in
the former rebel held north and east parts of the country had to be cleared of land mines. "The Sri Lanka
Army worked quickly to handle the demining process, and they are benefited greatly from the support of
the Marshal Legacy institute and other NGOs around the world," he said. Sri Lanka announced the
completion of the resettlement process this month with most of the de-mining work complete. (Zee News
22/10/12)
Muslims flee Myanmar unrest as death toll rises (13)
A new wave of sectarian violence in western Myanmar has left five people dead and dozens injured in
recent days, triggering another exodus of Muslims to emergency camps, officials said today. Hundreds of
homes have been burned in the fresh outburst of unrest in Rakhine state, where Buddhist-Muslim clashes
have killed at least 95 people since June and displaced tens of thousands, according to the authorities.
"At least five people have been killed and about 80 people injured in four days since October 21 in four
townships," said Rakhine state spokesman Myo Thant. Houses were also torched in another town today
morning, he told AFP by telephone from the Rakhine state capital Sittwe. "Soldiers are now helping to
provide security," he added. Tensions remain at boiling point across Rakhine state with a curfew in force
in many areas, while tens of thousands of Muslim Rohingya languish in basic camps. Hundreds more
Rohingya have arrived in the state capital Sittwe by boat this week to seek shelter in the camps. The UN
refugee agency estimated that more than 1,000 displaced people had reached Sittwe in recent days.
"Many more are supposed to be on their way," said spokeswoman Vivian Tan in Bangkok. "These people

are all coming to the IDP (internally displaced person) camps close to Sittwe, which are already
overcrowded." About 75,000 people are estimated to be uprooted in Rakhine state, mostly Rohingya.
There have been a series of protests by Buddhists in Myanmar against the stateless Muslim group, long
considered by the United Nations to be one of the most persecuted minorities on the planet. (Indian
Express 25/10/12)
UN warnings on internal displacement important for India (13)
MUMBAI: A United Nations expert this week warned about internal displacement emerging as a
significant human rights and humanitarian challenge in a message that carries an important wake-up call
for India. Around 26 million persons across the globe were internally displaced across the globe due to
armed conflict, violence or human rights atrocities, estimated the UN Special Rapporteur on the human
rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani adding that another 15 million were displaced by
natural calamities. The rapporteur pointed out that such persons are often wrongly tagged as 'refugees'
and it was time that states have frameworks to manage mass internal displacements and put in place
appropriate response systems. The lack of such a crises intervention system was cleary felt during the
recent exodus of people from the state of Assam following riots. Similar crises have been seen following
natural calamities such as floods as well. Agencies' conservatively estimate IDPs in India to be around
5.06 lakh till December 2011 though experts point out that the population is hard to cover statistically.
(Times of India 27/10/12)
Villages torched, Rakhine Rohingyas throng camps (13)
SITTWE (MYANMAR): Thousands of displaced people were clustered in boats and on bare ground near
overcrowded camps in western Myanmar on Saturday as the toll from vicious communal violence rose
above 80, officials said. Seething resentment between Buddhists and Muslims erupted this week in new
unrest in Rakhine state that has seen whole neighbourhoods razed and caused boatloads of people to
flee from Rohingya minority areas. The latest fighting, which has prompted international warnings that the
nation's reforms could be under threat, has killed killed 36 women and 46 men, according to a
government official. "Altogether 82 people died and 129 people were injured," the official said. It was
unclear how many from each community were killed. Tens of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya are
already crammed into squalid camps around the state capital Sittwe after deadly violence in June and
Rakhine state officials said the latest bloodshed had caused an influx of boats carrying around 6,000
people to the city. "The local government is planning to relocate them to a suitable place. We are having
problems because more people are coming," said Rakhine government spokesman Hla Thein. Authorities
struggled to provide aid to the displaced, some of whom were still on boats while several thousand had
docked on an island opposite Sittwe. Human Rights Watch on Saturday released satellite images
showing "extensive destruction of homes and other property in a predominantly Rohingya Muslim area" of
Kyaukpyu - where a pipeline to transport Myanmar gas to China begins. The images show a stark
contrast between the coastal area as seen in March this year, packed with hundreds of dwellings and
fringed with boats, and in the aftermath of the latest violence, where virtually all structures appear to have
been wiped from the landscape. HRW said 633 buildings and 178 houseboats and barges had been
torched in the area, one of seven townships affected by the latest strife. The group urged the government
to protect the Rohingya. Rakhine government spokesman Win Myaing said that the situation was now
"calm".Myanmar's 800,000 Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh by the
government and many Burmese and face discrimination. (Times of India 29/10/12)
70,000 displaced in cyclone Nilam in Sri Lanka (13)
Colombo: Six people have died and some 70,000 people have been displaced in cyclone Nilam in Sri
lanka, an official said Thursday. Several roads in Colombo were inundated by the flood waters, trees
were uprooted, and train services were affected, Xinhua reported. The displaced people were housed in

temporary shelters. Water levels in several reservoirs overflowed. Fishermen were advised not to go out
to sea. Cyclone Nilam struck Sri Lanka earlier this week, and gradually moved towards India, causing
heavy rains in the costal regions of that country. (Deccan Herald 1/11/12)
Displaced in Myanmar need food, shelter: UNHCR (13)
Geneva: Over 35,000 people have been displaced in the new wave of unrest in Myanmar's Rakhine state
and they are in urgent need of food and shelter, according to UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Aid
agencies have sent food and plastic sheets but there are still many needs to be met, Xinhua quoted
UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards as saying Friday. These displaced people reportedly have limited
cooking materials and many cannot have the first meal until late in the afternoon. Several thousands are
still seeking shelter in existing camps near Sittwe, capital of Rakhine. Concerned about overcrowding in
these camps, the authorities are working to find other areas to host the new influx. The latest wave of
unrest brings the total number of people displaced by inter-communal violence in Rakhine state since
June to 110,000. The international community has called for an immediate return to calm between the
communities. In Rakhine, the deadly violence triggered with the killing of a Rakhine ethnic woman by
three men in Kyauknimaw village in the end of May and murder of 10 Muslims by a mob in Taunggup
town. The unrest escalated June 8 as murder and arson attacks spread from Maugtaw town to affect
Buthidaung town and Sittwe, forcing the government to impose curfew on six riot-hit areas - Maugtaw,
Buthidaung, Sittwe, Kyaukpyu, Yanbye and Thandwe - and then a state of emergency was declared June
10. According to media reports in August, tension between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine
also left hundreds of homes destroyed and at least 64,000 people displaced. (Hindustan Times 3/11/12)
140 Lankan refugees get job letters at fair (13)
Trichy: As many as 140 Sri Lankan refugees from rehabilitation camps across 15 districts in Tamil Nadu
got a new lease of life with jobs in the corporate sector here on Sunday. They received offer letters at an
exclusive job fair conducted in Trichy, for the first time in Tamil Nadu. The job fair was aimed at improving
the lives of Sri Lankan Tamils who took refuge in India in the past two decades. It was organised by some
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with support from the commissioner of Rehabilitation and
Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils K Dheenabhandhu. Normally, the large number of Sri Lankan refugees
in 111 camps across the state work as daily wages coolies for survival. Some of them in Trichy were
successful in the money lending business in Trichy and some areas of the state. However, the younger
generation of refugees could not find jobs in private companies even though they were educated. In the
process, many students even lost their chance to hone their skills. It was observed that the companies
were hesitating to recruit them for various reasons. At this juncture, the NGOs were involved in sensitising
the companies to give the refugees opportunities to improve their lifestyle. Likewise, youngsters in the
refugee camps were also given a sensitisation programme for the past six months about the job fair. "I
was working as a designer in a photo studio after completing my 12 standard. The big companies in
Chennai did not recruit our people due to problems in work permit. At the same time, there are very big
concerns in our area. This job fair will give me a new life," said 26-year-old Jaya Ruban from Kaliyakavilai
camp. The job fair elicited a very good response from Sri Lankan refugees. The aspirants had educational
qualifications ranging from 10th standard-qualified to engineering degrees. Around 400 participants
including 137 female aspirants from Trichy, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindigul, Karur, Perambalur, Cuddalore,
Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Erode and Tirupur districts participated. Likewise, 11 companies
from different sectors such retail, hospitality, textile and information technology recruited the students.
After distributing job offer letters to a group of aspirants, Deenabandhu addressed the aspirants saying
the government would conduct more and more such job fairs in future. The students from refugee camps
should improve their communication skills besides their educational qualifications, he added. He also
advised them to impress society with their talent and be law-abiding. District collector Jayashree
Muralidharan also addressed the aspirants. (Times of India 5/11/12)

Nod to appoint 3rd generation Lankan Tamils sought (13)
Bangalore: The Forest Department has sought the Law Department’s approval to appoint third
generation Sri Lankan Tamils to the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation Limited (KFDCL).
Speaking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, Forest Minister C P Yogeeshwara said the consistently
profit making KFDCL, which registered 12.3 per cent profit the previous fiscal, was planning expansion
and therefore it needed more employees. The move to hire these workers was also with a view to
compete with private companies. “We are looking to expand the rubber wing of KFDCL and we need
more people. We have about 1,700 Sri Lankan refugees who are working as tappers. Therefore we have
sought permission for hiring the third generation Sri Lankans,” he said. According to the proposal, two
persons from the family of a retiring employee will be offered jobs by the Forest Department. The
refugees have settled mainly in Puttur and Sullia taluks of Dakshina Kannada district and, most of them
are tappers in rubber plantations. Around 960 families migrated during 1962-67 under the Indo-Sri
Lankan agreement and, the original agreement had provision only for hiring second generation family
members. The tappers, employed as daily wage labourers, are paid Rs 225 a day and other incentives
are on the anvil. Former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda, who was present on the occasion, said
that the Sri Lankan refugees do not have anything else to eke out a living. “Many employees are retiring.
If we do not provide employment to their kin, they will lose everything they have, including their quarters
and other amenities. If the Law Department agrees, we can continue the benefits,” he said. (Deccan
Herald 7/11/12)
Displaced families in Kokrajhar struggle to rebuild their lives (13)
BHOWRAGURI: Houses and granaries were razed, cattle and other livestock looted and hand tube-well
heads taken away when violent clashes broke out in July in Kokrajhar and neighbouring districts of
Assam forcing people to take shelter in relief camps. After nearly three months’ stay in relief camps, the
refugees have now returned home, thanks to the official rehabilitation process, with 21 tin sheets, a
tarpaulin sheet, six pieces of bamboo, a cheque for Rs. 22,700 as rehabilitation grant and ration of rice,
dal and salt to last them just a month. Most of these families have only one piece of blanket and no
woollens though winter is knocking at the door. Thousands of displaced families in Assam’s Bodoland
Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) who have returned home are now grappling with endless woes of
rehabilitation. More than a week since their return from the camps, the displaced families of Dangaibari,
the Muslim villages and Aminkhata and the nearby Bodo villages in Kokrajhar district have not been able
to start any new cultivation. For, there are no cattle left and the miscreants have taken away tractors,
power tillers and shallow tubewell pumpsets. Many families are yet to get the rehabilitation grant, while
some who got it don’t have bank accounts to encash them. At Dangaibari village, some families have
constructed makeshift shelters with tarpaulin sheets and bamboos on their land. Some others have built a
cluster of such shelters in an open area. Village headman Sumer Ali told The Hindu on Monday that of
the 74 families in the village, only 29 figure in the list for grant. Only 13 families have received the
cheques and tin sheets. “We don’t know how to rebuild our lives. We are farmers but now we have no
means to resume agricultural activities,” he said. “Every family has lost at least three or four houses. The
materials and rehabilitation grant are inadequate even to build one semi-permanent structure to
accommodate all the family members.” Village anganwadi worker Sakila Khatun has reopened the
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centre in the village. She said that about 100 children now
regularly attend the centre, but they were not being provided food because miscreants had taken away all
the utensils. The stories of 58-year-old headman Lalmohan Goyari and other residents of Aminkhata
Bodo village are no different. “The miscreants took away the cattle, tractors and power tillers after razing
our houses. How will we till our land now” asks Mr. Goyari. His wife was seen clearing the debris and
clearing the land for building a makeshift shelter. So far, 72 of the 133 families whose houses were
destroyed have received rehabilitation grants. The womenfolk and children of Aminkhata and adjacent

Bodo villages are still staying in the Gambaribil relief camp although the authorities have closed it down.
“The women come to the village to help clear the debris till 3 p.m. and then return to the camp. They can
return only after some makeshift structure is raised,” said Mr. Goyari. Be it Bodo or Muslim villages, the
fear of fresh attack still lingers. Despite round-the-clock patrolling by contingents of the CRPF, the
villagers are taking turns as night guards and sleep in groups. A waiting shed at one entrance to
Aminkhata village is the point where Muslims of nearby villages are allowed to come and discuss mutual
issues with the village headman and other residents of the Bodo village. “We have agreed to divide the
harvest from the paddy fields 50:50 with those from the nearby Muslim villages who worked as
sharecroppers in our fields and cultivated paddy,” said Mr. Goyari, owner of 52 bigha of cultivable land.
However, the Bodo villages have clamped a ban on commercial transactions such as buying or selling of
vegetables or other produce at the village markets with the residents of the nearby Muslim villages. (The
Hindu 7/11/12)
Over 3 million Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan since 2002, says UNHCR (13)
Peshawar: Since 2002, as many as 3.7 million Afghan refugees have returned home from Pakistan
through UNHCR's largest voluntary repatriation programme, while around 1.66 million registered Afghan
refugees remained in Pakistan, according to an UNHCR press release. The UNHCR announced that it
would offer an enhanced return package to every registered Afghan voluntarily returning to Afghanistan
under the agency's facilitated return programme. The new package is for a limited period of time from
November until December 31, reports The News. The enhanced package includes one standard UNHCR
non-food item kit per family and free limited transport from the repatriation centres in Pakistan to the
encashment centres inside Afghanistan. The UNHCR has observed an overall 34 percent increase in
return trends this year, compared to 2011. With the enhanced return package, the number of returning
refugees has grown after Eid. (New Kerala 8/11/12)
4.46 lakh refugees rehabilitated in BTAD: CM (13)
GUWAHATI, Nov 10 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today claimed that notwithstanding the BTAD riots and
three recurring floods, the State was back to normal in record time. This, he said, was an indication that
the State was well into the path of progress. Addressing a press conference, Gogoi said that a total of
4,46,296 post-riot refugees had already left for their respective homes, with just 39,625 remaining in the
camps. “Never before had any rehabilitation been accomplished in so little time…similarly, the 17-lakh
flood-affected populace staying in relief camps is being adequately taken care of in terms of food,
medicine and shelter,” Gogoi said. He said of late, the State was registering a healthy growth rate, which
was above the national average. “The State’s growth rate during 2011-12 at 8.42 was above the national
average of 6.80,” he said. Reiterating that cross-border infiltration was not the most important problem for
the State, Gogoi said that unemployment, rural development, floods, etc., were areas requiring greater
attention of the Government. “The Assamese people have a habit of suddenly waking up to the issue of
infiltration after long gaps, as if this is the biggest issue…our Government has been sincere in tackling
infiltration compared to what the AGP and the BJP had done,” Gogoi said. He said the process of
providing photo identity cards to Indian citizens was 84 per cent complete and would soon cover the
entire populace. He said parties like AGP and BJP which kept raising a hue and cry over the issue of
citizenship should lodge complaints if they felt like it. “Everyone is free to file complaints on this issue
under the provisions,” he added. (The Assam Tribune 11/11/12)
Syrian refugees receiving UN aid in Lebanon reach 115,000 (13)
Beirut: The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon receiving aid from the United Nations (UN) reached
the mark of 115,000, according to the latest report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR). The UNHCR pointed that the number increased by 15,000 over the past weeks. The lack of
cooperation between the government and refugee officials has hindered aid operations. Some 11,000

Syrians were forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries in recent days. The UNHCR is expanding
operations across the country to reach the vastly growing refugee community with food and shelter. The
report said that the agency has registered 83,860 refugees in the country and another 31,000 more are in
the process of registration. Local charities and activists estimate that there are tens of thousands more
refugees in the country who have not registered for UN assistance. The UNCHR opened a registration
point in south Lebanon city Sidon at the end of October, with 1,465 people registered and another 1,600
more people are on the way. (New Kerala 12/11/12)
UN urges countries to open borders for people fleeing Myanmar (13)
New York: The United Nations refugee agency Tuesday called on governments in Southeast Asia to keep
their borders open to people fleeing Myanmar by sea, following reports of boats sinking in the Bay of
Bengal earlier this month. "We are calling on countries in the region to strengthen burden-sharing in the
face of this growing humanitarian emergency - we stand ready to support states in assisting and
protecting these individuals," the chief spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), Melissa Fleming, told journalists in Geneva Tuesday. According to UNHCR, an
estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people set out into the Bay of Bengal from Myanmar during the previous sailing
season, from Oct 2011 to Mar 2012. Each year, the sailing season sees a mix of asylum-seekers and
irregular migrants risk their lives on fishing boats in the hope of finding safety and a better life elsewhere
in Southeast Asia. This year, there are fears many more could follow in the coming weeks, driven by
desperation and hopelessness. Fleming said UNHCR was "seriously concerned" at the recent boat
tragedies in the Bay of Bengal, involving people fleeing insecurity and violence in Myanmar. In the last
two weeks, there have been reports of two boats sinking off western Myanmar with an estimated 240
people on board - among them, Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine state. The north of Rakhine state has
been the site of inter-communal violence over recent months. The violence first began in June, with
clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, which eventually led the Government
to declare a state of emergency there. The violence reportedly left at least a dozen civilians dead and
hundreds of homes destroyed, while internally displacing some 75,000 people. Since then, at least 89
people have been killed and 35,000 displaced in the wake of a renewed upsurge in violence, beginning in
late September, which also left more than 5,300 houses and religious buildings destroyed, according to
UN estimates. Fleming said the refugee agency cannot confirm any figures in relation to casualties from
the reported sinkings "as we have no presence near the wreck sites, but available information is that
more than 40 people have been rescued from the two boats." She noted that there were reports of bodies
seen floating in the water. While calling on other states to keep their borders open, the UN refugee
agency is also alarmed by reports of countries either pushing back boats from their shores or helping
them on to another country. "We are appealing to these governments to uphold their long tradition of
providing humanitarian aid to refugees instead of shifting the responsibility to another state," Fleming
said. The UN refugee agency is urging the Government of Myanmar to take urgent action to address
some of the main factors prompting people to take to the sea, Fleming added, especially issues
connected with the problem of citizenship and statelessness in relation to the Rohingyas in Rakhine state.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has previously urged the authorities in Myanmar to take action to
bring an end to the lawlessness currently affecting the state. According to the UN World Food Programme
(WFP), more than 27,000 people in all the townships affected by the state's inter-communal violence
have received humanitarian assistance; however, it estimates that a total of USD 11 million will be
required to cover the food needs for all 110,000 displaced people for the next six months. (New Kerala
14/11/12)
Police to visit Sri Lankan refugee camp in Chennai (13)
MALAPPURAM: The police team probing the human trafficking case at Ponnani will visit the Sri Lankan
refugee camp in Chennai in the coming days to collect more evidences. Police suspect that one of the

accused in the case, Suresh, who is yet to be nabbed, is residing in the refugee camp in Chennai. The
police have already arrested five persons, including the main accused Dinesh Kumar, in connection with
a bid to illegally transport 50 Sri Lankan refugees to Australia through Kerala coast. Dinesh is a Sri
Lankan native residing in a camp in Coimbatore. After the interrogation of the main accused, who was
arrested four days ago, the investigation team found that more inmates of refugee camps were involved
in the case. Customs officials had seized the boat, which was about to leave for Australia with the
refugees, off Ponnani coast last month. Officials also seized 6,000 litres of diesel and packets of food
items which were stocked in the boat. The boat was loaded with rice and vegetables meant to sustain the
refugees in their trip. Other four arrested have been identified as Shamsudheen, Shajahan and Ishaque,
natives of Coimbatore, and Kabeer, native of Ponnani. CI of Ponnani Abdul Muneer said the police team
will visit the camps in Chennai in search of Suresh and would collect more evidences. "Customs officials
have started interrogation of the accused who are already arrested and we are hopeful that police will get
more clues on the remaining members of the racket which is behind human trafficking," he said. Dinesh
had confessed that he transported many Sri Lankan refugees to Australia through Kollam coast in June
and had collected Rs 5 lakh each from 50 refugees to transport them through Ponnani coast. (Times of
India 15/11/12)
2,500 houses in 14 districts for refugees (13)
CHENNAI: Two thousand and five hundred houses in 14 districts will be constructed to house Sri Lankan
Tamil refugees, now living in 21 camps. At a rate of Rs. one lakh per house, a total of Rs. 25 crore has
been sanctioned. A direction to this effect was issued by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, according to an
official release. The proposed houses will come up in Coimbatore, Dindigul, Kanyakumari, Karur,
Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Madurai, Pudukottai, Salem, Tiruvallur, Sivagangai, Tirunelveli, Tiruvannamalai
and Villupuram. Karur is likely to have 465 houses followed by Tiruvallur- 300; Kanyakumari - 270 and
Salem - 230. An official says that it is for the first time that the government will be building permanent
houses for the refugees. At present there are 68,000 refugees in camps across 24 districts. For them
20,000 houses are required. What has been announced by the government forms parts of the first phase
of construction of permanent houses. The selection of districts has been made keeping in mind two
factors – ready availability of land and adequate space on the premises of given camps for temporary
accommodation. Also, only those available plots belonging to the Revenue Department and the
Rehabilitation Department are taken into account for the purpose of land availability. (The Hindu
15/11/12)
Indefinite curfew on in Kokrajhar (13)
KOKRAJHAR: Kokrajhar wore a deserted look on Saturday as indefinite curfew in the district entered the
third day. Many people, including former MLA Hemendra Nath Brahma, have been picked up for violation
of curfew in the district. Hemendra was released later. Despite the curfew, the Janajati Suraksha Manch
(JSM), an organization of different tribal communities of the state, has decided to organize a mass rally in
Kokrajhar town on Monday seeking protection of land of tribals and to clear the belts and blocks from the
occupation of foreign nationals. President of the manch, Bijan Kumar Brahma, said the state government
is forcing the Bodoland Territorial Council to accept its proposal to rehabilitate all Muslims who had left
Bodo areas following the violence back to their respective villages to appease the Muslim leadership to
ensure support of their vote bank. "We have decided to organize a mass rally in Kokrajhar on November
19 to pressure the administration to fulfill our demands to protect the notified villages in tribal belts and
block mentioned in the government notification, to free forest , khas, grazing and riverine land encroached
by illegal migrants. Their alarming growth rate has outnumbered the population of original inhabitants and
it becomes a serious threat to the existence of indigenous people of the area. The government should
take immediate measures to free all these areas from the occupation of illegal migrants," he said. The

manch also wants that the scheduled tribes and traditional forest dwellers recognition of Forest Rights
Act, 2006, should be immediately be implemented, ensuring full security to affected villages by providing
fix security posts for the life and property of the villagers. (Times of India 19/5/11)
UNHCR announces package for Afghan refugees in Pak (13)
Islamabad: The United Nations Refugee Agency has announced a special relief package for Afghan
refugees in Pakistan for their voluntary return to their homeland during November and December 2012,
under which returning refugees would be paid 150 dollars, free transport and house hold items. According
to the UNHCR, during the current year, more than 16 thousand Afghan refugees have returned to
Afghanistan while more than one hundred thousand from 2007 till to date have gone back from
Balochistan, reports The Dawn. UNHCR Head in Balochistan, Charles Lunch, said that since January till
now a total of 3335 Afghan families have been sent back to their country. He said under this package all
such Afghan families could benefit who have Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. This package would end
on December 31, 2012. Afghan representative Murtaza Khurami said the Afghan government has made
arrangements for rehabilitation of returning refugees. He said 63 towns have been setup in 19 provinces
of Afghanistan where 48 projects were under way with world organizations for providing facilities to the
Afghan refugees. He said more than 5.5 million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan from Iran
and Pakistan from 2002. He added that legal action would be taken against Afghan refugees returning to
Pakistan after their repatriation to Afghanistan. (Zee News 19/11/12)
Displaced families of still awaiting rehab (13)
GAURIPUR, Nov 20 – More than a lakh of displaced people of the recent ethnic violence that occurred in
Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts are yet to be rehabilitated. Sources close to the district
administration revealed that more than 45 per cent inmates of the camps have no land document and as
a result they could not be sent back to their respective villages. Moreover, the BTAD administration
decided not to rehabilitate the families who had no valid land documents. It is also shocking to note that a
large number of camp inmates left the camps without the knowledge of the administration and they are
suspected to live secretly with their relatives. Meanwhile, students of various institutions under Dhubri and
Bilasipara subdivisoins took the path of agitation for opening their schools and colleges and demanded
shifting of the inmates of the camps with immediate effect. The effected people have been taking shelter
since July 22 last in various schools and colleges and the overall environment of the schools and colleges
have turned into such a state that even after evacuation of the inmates the authority shall have to clean
the institutions for normal running of classes as the surrounding areas of the schools have been used as
lavatories. Observers think it to be a great challenge for the government to rehabilitate the suspected
inmates of the campus as almost all the organiations of the State have vehemently opposed rehabilitation
of suspected nationals in government khas land. Even on a conservative estimate, there should be
around 3,000 inmates within Dhubri subdivision and 17,000 inmates at Bilasipara subdivision who are still
awaiting rehabilitation. (The Assam Tribune 22/11/12)
UN gives winter aid in Afghanistan (13)
New York: The United Nations refugee agency has begun distributing winter aid to some 40,000 families
which are at risk in the cold weather in remote areas of Afghanistan, as well as the capital, Kabul. "Winter
temperatures in Afghanistan can fall to around -26°C and for this reason it is important that people are
protected from the cold," a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Melissa
Fleming, told a news conference in Geneva. The agency has primary responsibility for delivering winter
assistance to returnees and vulnerable displaced people in rural areas of Afghanistan - a joint effort
coordinated by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, the National Disaster Management Authority
and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Fleming said that the recipients of
the winter aid are recent returnees from Pakistan and Iran, internally displaced persons (IDPs) - including

people displaced by conflict - and others at risk in the cold weather. "The relief items going out around the
country include tents, blankets, plastic sheets, fuel, sleeping mats, lanterns, jerry cans, kitchen sets, soap
and warm clothes," she stated. "This year, 30,000 of those who will receive winter assistance will be
people living in Kabul's informal settlements." Nearly 460,000 people have been displaced by conflict in
Afghanistan, with some 137,000 persons displaced in the south, 121,527 in the west and 95,134 in the
east, according to UNHCR. "Returned refugees and internally displaced people often live in extremely
bad conditions in isolated communities - communities rarely seen by the general public and where access
is very difficult. Those receiving our aid include really destitute returnees and IDP groups, families headed
by women, or elderly or disabled, and children," Fleming said. Since 2001, UNHCR has helped around
4.7 million Afghan refugees voluntarily return home. However, nearly three million registered Afghan
refugees are still living in exile in Pakistan and Iran. During a visit to the country this week, OCHA's
Director of Operations, John Ging, called on the international community to step up its humanitarian
support for Afghanistan so it can sustain the progress made so far. "It is clear that the Government is
making progress; the candid and professional approach being taken is certainly impressive, but given the
scale of the challenge, international funding support will also be key to success," he stated. "The figures
speak for themselves," Ging added. "More than nine million people in Afghanistan - one third of the
population - are food insecure; an average of 165 children under the age of five die every day; and an
Afghan woman dies every two hours due to pregnancy-related causes." According to OCHA, the 2012
consolidated humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan remains less than 50 per cent funded, with a shortfall of
USD 234 million at the end of November - making it one of the worst funded appeals in the world. (New
Kerala 1/12/12)
70 percent of Afghan refugees born in Pakistan (13)
Islamabad: Of the 1.6 million Afghan refugees currently registered in Pakistan, around 70 percent are
under the age of 18 and were born and bred in the host country, a UN survey says. Pakhtuns constitute
82 percent of the refugees, followed by five percent Tajiks and four percent Uzbeks and other ethnic
groups, Dawn quoted the report by the States and Frontier Regions Ministry and UN High Commissioner
for Refugees as saying. The "Population Profiling, Verification and Response Survey of Afghan
Refugees" was done in 2011. It examined the specific needs of the Afghans, and included information
about their intention to return to their country, livelihood, socio-economic and legal conditions. Around 20
percent of the refugees had collectively invested over Rs.18 billion in business in their country. Over the
last 10 years, 3.8 million Afghans have returned home, the study said. Those who do not want to return,
cited insecurity, unemployment and lack of shelter as the reasons for it. Around 70 percent of the
refugees have only one earning family member, while six percent of the households have no
breadwinner. With regard to education, 43 percent of boys and 67 percent of girls were never enrolled in
schools, the study said. (New Kerala 1/12/12)
NSCN (IM) ridicules KNO, gives 'refugee status to Kukis' (13)
Dimapur: "The Kuki National Organization (KNO)'s outlandish campaign against National Socialist
Council of Nagalim (NSCN) leaves nothing in doubt that it is working overtime to please certain forces to
counterweight the Nagas' historical and political standing that has already gained national recognition as
well as international acknowledgement," said the NSCN-IM today. Strongly reacting to the statement of
the KNO, the NSCN (IM) said that the KNO is hiding its panic by adopting all conceivable means like the
bogus sketched map and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which is simply abominable as it is
nothing more than antithesis of historical fact. Therefore, what is emanating from KNO against the NSCN-
IM is a blatant lie and a bizarre campaign. And for the sake of telling the truth to the public the historical
truth(fact) has to be touched no matter how unpalatable it may appear to the Kukis. And just one factual
incident would be enough to testify the factual historical identity and status of the Kukis, the Naga outfit
stated… (Manipur: E-Pao 3/12/12)

Hindus may plan migration if builder not punished: Pakistan Hindu Council (13)
AMRITSAR: Pakistan Hindu Council has expressed fears that many Hindus might plan migration from
Pakistan if the government didn't take steps to assure religious freedom of the community there. Reacting
strongly to the recent demolition of a temple in Karachi, patron of Pakistan Hindu Council Ramesh
Vankwani told TOI over the phone that, "If the government didn't take strict action against the builder,
there was possibility of migration of Hindus from Pakistan," adding that the fate of other buildings owned
by Hindus was also uncertain. He said three plots numbering 38,39 and 40 in Doli Khata area of Karachi
belonged to Hindu community before Indo-Pak partition. The temple was built on plot number 38, while
one of the Hindu community member Naresh Kumar had sold the plot number 39 to a builder Ismile Gora
in 2005. "The builder had no right to demolish the temple which is on plot number 38 and is shown on
map also," said Vankwani. "The fear of security among Hindu community can trigger migration to India,"
he reiterated. On the other hand, vice chairperson of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission's Sindh
chapter Amarnath Motumal discounted the possibility of migration of Hindus from Pakistan, after recent
incident of demolition of temple. He said the builder had made some "manipulations" and demolished the
temple which was unfortunate. He said he was sure that the Pakistan government would take notice of
the incident and deliver justice to the ailing Hindu community. Meanwhile, another Hindu organization
Pakistan Hindu Seva Trust has decided to hold a function "My Voice Counts" on December 9 to take up
the issue to mark the International Human Rights Day. President of the trust , Sanjash S Dhanja said, the
community was perturbed over such incidents which keep happening quite often. "I think there is a need
to sensitize the people on the issue". He said they had invited prominent right activists in the function to
deliver their view point and try help build favourable atmosphere for Hindus of Pakistan. (Times of India
5/12/12)
UN praises Africa's treaty protecting internally displaced people (13)
New York: The United Nations refugee chief Thursday saluted the “historic” entry into force of an Africawide
treaty – the world’s first – that protects people displaced within their own countries by violence,
natural disasters or large-scale development projects. “Around the world, the number of people forced
into displacement within their own countries is growing,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees,
Antonio Guterres. “The Kampala Convention puts Africa in a leading position when it comes to having a
legal framework for protecting and helping the internally displaced,” he added, using the shorthand name
for the instrument, which was adopted by the African Union (AU) in the Ugandan capital in 2009. By its
terms, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in
Africa, as the instrument is formally called, is entering into force exactly one month after the ratification by
the 15th State, which was Swaziland. Whereas international conventions exist on behalf of people termed
refugees after they have been driven across international borders, there had been no binding protections
for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The treaty is “historic, and not just for Africa,” added Guterres in a
news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Equal praise for the
measure came today from the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, Chaloka Beyani, who
said the Convention serves as an “international model” for other regions to follow. “Today, Africa has
achieved a milestone and demonstrated its leadership in addressing one of the most pressing
humanitarian issues in the world,” Mr. Beyani said in a news release from the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “I believe that the significance of the Kampala Convention
goes beyond Africa.” While the Convention is applicable and binding only in Africa, IDPs vastly
outnumber refugees in the continent – Africa accounts for 10 million of the 26 million people worldwide
who were driven from their homes by conflict or human rights-related violence in 2011, while floods and
other natural disasters created “at least a further half million,” Beyani said. “While precise figures are not
yet available, the continent is also impacted by displacement related to slow onset natural disasters, such
as desertification and more frequent droughts, associated with the effects of climate change,” he added.

According to UNHCR, the agency provides assistance to almost seven million IDPs in Africa – more than
any other continent. The largest internally displaced populations are in Somalia, with 1.36 million IDPs,
Sudan with 2.4 million IDPs, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is estimated that there
are more than two million IDPs. Under the Convention, States have “specific obligations to allocate
resources, adopt national policies and strategies, and enact or amend national laws to ensure that
displacement is prevented, and that IDPs are protected and supported until they reach a sustainable
solution to their displacement,” Beyani noted. “If implemented well,” he continued, “it can help States and
the African Union address both current and potential future internal displacement related not only to
conflict, but also natural disasters and other effects of climate change, development, and even mega
trends, such as population growth and rapid urbanization.” To date, 37 African countries have signed the
instrument. The Special Rapporteur said it was vital that the international and donor communities now
support African states and civil society in raising awareness and building the capacities to implement the
Convention. He also urged any State that has yet sign or ratify the Convention, to do so, saying it
“embodies principles of good governance, respect for human rights and preparedness so necessary to
prevent and address the human crisis related to situations of internal displacement.” Independent experts,
or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and
report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes. (New Kerala 7/12/12)
Rights violations in Tibet to be highlighted (1)
GUWAHATI, Dec 9 – Five hundred Tibetans living in various parts of the North East India have started a
mission to reach Guwahati on foot from their respective places not only to demand for a free Tibet but
also to create public opinion against the ongoing human rights violation in Tibet. The group of Tibetan
refugees includes about 250 Tibetans from Arunachal Pradesh, besides participants from Meghalaya and
Nagaland. The Tibetan refugees will also hold a meeting in Guwahati to commemorate the 23rd
commemoration day of their spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s receiving of Nobel Peace Prize on Monday. The
Tibetan refugees will organize a silent candlelight rally in Guwahati on Monday evening in protest against
human rights violations in Tibet and seek public support for the cause of free Tibet. They would also hold
a 12-hour hunger strike in Guwahati from 5 am on Tuesday to create public opinion for their cause. “The
Tibetans are finding no other alternatives but to end their lives by self-immolations to protest against the
human rights violations due to illegal occupation of the Chinese since 1950,” alleged Lhakpa Tsering, the
liaison officer of the Tibetans refugees living in the North East, in a press statement. It may be mentioned
that there are about 10,000 Tibetans in various parts of the North East. “A total of 94 Tibetan people have
already self-immolated and sacrificed their lives opposing and protesting the human rights violations in
Tibet by the occupational forces. We, on behalf of the North East Solidarity Committee for the Tibetan
Cause, have organized the programme on the World Human Rights Day,” said Tsering. “Our basic
objective is to create public opinion to support the cause of free Tibet. We have also formed Tibet support
groups in some of the North-Eastern States, so that they could pressurise the local government, who
would in turn mount more pressure on the Indian government to support the cause of free Tibet,” he said.
(Assam Tribune 10/12/12)
Pakistan extends refugee status for Afghans (13)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended refugee status for over a million Afghans in the country by an
additional six months, the government announced, a move likely to ease fears of Afghans living in
Pakistan that they would soon have to return home. Pakistan has been hosting hundreds of thousands of
Afghan refugees dating back to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan three decades ago. But many
Pakistanis have become increasingly frustrated with the length of time the Afghans have stayed and
would like them to leave. The Pakistani government said in a statement released late Wednesday that
refugee status had been set to expire on Dec. 30 and that they would extend it for another six months.
The statement said there are 1.6 million registered and 1 million unregistered Afghans in Pakistan. The

extension would not affect unregistered Afghans, who are considered illegal residents. The Afghan
population in Pakistan is a legacy of Afghanistan's repeated conflicts, starting with the Soviet Union's
invasion in 1979. Many refugees can't fathom returning to Afghanistan any time soon, saying their
homeland is still too violent and desperately poor. Ehsanullah Elaj, an Afghan refugee who is a dentist in
the city of Rawalpindi next to Islamabad, questioned what would happen to the refugees after the sixmonth
extension expires. "It would be very difficult for us to return to Afghanistan," Elaj said. "The majority
of people want to stay here." The Islamabad government has said it will not forcibly evict Afghans, many
of whom have children born and raised in Pakistan. However, revoking their refugee status would
encourage people to return. Refugee status allows Afghans to get a government ID card that they use for
everyday activities like banking or registering for school. In a statement, the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees welcomed the extension but pointed out the uncertainty for Afghan refugees. "While the six
month extension is important, Afghan refugees will be left wondering what the future has in store in July
2013 and beyond. UNHCR will therefore continue to encourage the government to maintain asylum
space in the challenging transitional period ahead," said Neill Wright, the UN agency's Pakistan
representative. The UN agency has said that 83,000 Afghans have gone back this year, a 40 percent
increase in those returning to their homeland compared to 2011. The UN has been spearheading a
program this year designed to help Afghan refugees return to their homeland. (Times of India 13/12/12)
MPs want rehabilitation of people displaced from Pakistan (13)
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Friday heard a strong demand for rehabilitation of people displaced from
Pakistan, with members from several parties demanding granting them citizenship. Participating in a
private member's resolution on formulation of an action plan to rehabilitate persons displaced from
Pakistan moved by Arjun Meghwal (BJP), members said several families who have fled that country
fearing persecution should be given rights in India. Participating in the discussion on the resolution moved
by him in August, Meghwal said while they were discriminated in Pakistan for being Hindus, they are
dubbed as "Pakistanis" in India. "We discuss rights violations of Tibetans, Sri Lankan Tamils...We cannot
term their plight as an internal matter of Pakistan...We will have to change this attitude," he said. He said
the issue of people displaced from Pakistan should be raised in international fora, including SAARC.
Meghwal demanded reduction in citizenship fee for Hindus from Pakistan and said district magistrates
should be given the right to grant citizenship. Madanlal Sharma (Cong) said most of the displaced people
from Pakistan were living in Jammu and Kashmir for the past several years. "They are refugees in their
own country," he said. He said the Centre should put pressure on the Jammu and Kashmir government to
favourably consider the problems of such people as they have no rights to contest local elections though
they can exercise their franchise in Lok Sabha polls. Congress is a partner in the Jammu and Kashmir
government led by National Conference. Sumitra Mahajan (BJP) said while India raises the issue of
human rights violations of people living in various parts of the world, "but what about our own," she said
referring to the displaced people. She claimed though Pakistan Home Minister Rahman Malik is in India,
the issue was unlikely to be discussed. Shailendra Kumar (SP) said Pakistan should remember that its
founding father M A Jinnah had assured protection to Hindus who had stayed back during Partition. (Zee
News 14/12/12)
In Syria, hunger spreads as war intensifies (13)
BEIRUT: Desperation for food is growing in parts of Syria, where fist fights or dashes across the civil war
front lines have become part of the daily struggle to secure a loaf of bread. Conditions are especially dire
in the northern city of Aleppo, where civilians enduring incessant clashes and air raids in rebel-held
districts say hunger is a new threat to survival in the 20-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-
Assad. "I went out yesterday and could not get any bread. If only the problem was just lack of food - there
is also a huge shortage of fuel, which the bakeries need to run," said Ahmed, a resident of the battlescarred
Salaheddine district. "A few days ago, the bakery workers had no fuel so they tried to sell off

packets of flour," he said. "People started getting into fist fights over the flour. Some days, rebels have to
fire in the air to stop the fighting." With rebels closing in on Damascus, and Western and Arab states
endorsing a new opposition coalition, Syria appears near a critical point in the conflict. A top diplomat in
Russia, one of Assad's closest allies, acknowledged on Thursday that the Syrian leader's foes were
gaining ground and might win. But violence is still taking a terrible toll, with daily death tolls usually
exceeding 100 and sometimes 200 in recent weeks. More than 40,000 have already died in the struggle.
The World Food Programme (WFP) says as many as a million people may go hungry this winter, as
worsening security conditions make it harder to reach conflict zones. People In Need (PIN), a Czech
group working in northern Syria, says the crisis may deepen if no other international aid group can
consistently provide relief in the area. PIN estimates that only 1 to 2 million people remain of Aleppo's
original 4 million inhabitants. Hundreds of thousands may be in need in Aleppo alone, said PIN's Michal
Przedlacki. "It was bad when I started in Aleppo a month ago, but that has been nothing like the past
week. I have watched the situation visibly worsen - more people look thin, you can see the worry in their
faces," he told Reuters by Skype. With winter's arrival, the outlook is increasingly bleak in Syria's war
zones, particularly rebel-held areas where residents say state-subsidized flour and fuel are not coming
through. (Times of India 15/12/12)
Syrian refugees in Turkey exceed 200,000 (13)
Ankara,: The number of Syrians fleeing clashes in their country and residing in Turkey has exceeded 200,
000, an official of the Syrian National Council's Executive Committee said Saturday. "I guess the number
of Syrians staying in Turkey have reached almost 250,000, including the ones who entered Turkey by
their passports," Mahmud Osman, a member of Syrian National Council's Executive Committee, told
Xinhua, adding that the figure was not official. A total of 144,755 Syrian refugees are currently staying in
Turkey after fleeing the months-long violence in their country, a Turkish official statement said Friday. The
statement, issued by the Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate
(AFAD), said more than 200, 000 Syrians fled to Turkey so far, but 59,100 of them returned back. Turkey
has set up five tent cities in Hatay, two in Sanliurfa, three in Gaziantep and one each in Osmaniye,
Kahramanmaras and Adiyaman and one container city in Kilis. As Turkey keeps up open door policy for
thousands of Syrians fleeing from violence in their country, Ankara has called on international community
for assistance when the number of Syrians sheltered in Turkey exceeded 100,000. Turkish representative
of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Carol Batchelor said
Friday that they could only finance 500 million U.S. dollars for a plan of helping Syrian refugees, Turkey's
semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. The Syria Regional Response Plan, prepared by the
UNHCR, sets out the funding needs for 1 billion U.S. dollars. So far, about half of the sum has not been
procured, raising concerns over the Syrian refugees' conditions in the winter. Batchelor said that the issue
was being discussed in the UN Security Council, with no official decision made yet. (New Kerala
22/12/12)
Sec 144 in Arunachal town as peace talks fail (13)
ITANAGAR: Tension prevailed in Miao town under Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh for the third
consecutive day on Tuesday following a group clash between Chakma refugees and indigenous Singpho
residents over a plot of land on Sunday. The local administration on Monday initiated talks between
leaders of both the parties to maintain peace in the area but as the efforts failed, the administration
clamped prohibitory order under 144 CrPC. Violence erupted when a group of Chakma refugees who
were asked to evict the land burnt down several houses of Singpho community who were also residing in
the same plot. The legal owner of the plot is Thuing Singpho of M'Pen village who possesses of the Land
Possession Certificate of the plot. Some Chakmas challenged the authenticity of the LPC in the Guwahati
high court. However, it was rejected. Following a recent court order, ADC Miao directed the Chakma
encroachers to evict the land by December 21 but the refugees declined to comply with it, official sources

informed. After winning the battle in court, the local Singphos had constructed around 20 traditional huts
at the said plot. However, on Sunday afternoon, a group of Chakmas burnt down the huts and allegedly
fired gunshots and chased the Singphos from the area. Police arrived at the scene and brought the
situation under control, sources informed. The situation worsened on Monday when Chakma refugees
ransacked the entire town and looted shops. This was done after a shop belonging to a Chakma refugee
was ransacked allegedly by the Singpho group. The Chakmas also attacked the house of one KG
Singpho, a senior citizen of the town, sources added. Reports of Chakma refugees attacking various
Singpho villages in and around Miao town have also surfaced. Small Singpho villages like Pisi, Lewang,
Phup and Khagam have become vulnerable and there is growing fear that these villages could be
attacked anytime. Chief minister Nabam Tuki on Monday expressed serious concerns over the situation
and convened a high level meeting which was attended by the chief secretary, home commissioner and
director general of police. Expressing concern on the clash between members of the two communities
triggered by an order on land dispute by the high court, Tuki appealed for peace and bonhomie. He said
violence is no solution to any dispute and called for dialogue in a congenial atmosphere. He also
appealed people not to panic as the administration is in command of the situation. After reports of clashes
between the two communities, the state government, under directions from the chief minister, has
deployed additional forces of state police, paramilitary and army personnel in areas volatile to the
situation. Tuki, who is in constant touch with the deputy commissioner and SP of the district, has informed
that the situation was tense but under control. (Times of India 26/12/12)
PM warns of 'footloose migrants' from rural areas (13)
New Delhi: Police should not lose sight of the human rights of citizens and should be prepared to deal
with challenges associated with urbanisation that was assuming “a monstrous shape”, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh has told young IPS officers. “We have a large number of footloose young men who
come to urban areas from rural areas in search of jobs, in search of livelihood strategies and if they do
not get well absorbed in the process of development in rural areas, they can become a menace in
society,” Singh told Indian Police Service (IPS) probationers who called on him on Wednesday. This was
PM’s first message to the police after the Sunday’s crackdown at India Gate, which came in for
widespread criticism for the force’s highhandedness. As part of urban policing, he said the police must
learn to master and understand what motivated people to take to heinous crimes such as rape and “what
is it that we can do to wean (them) away from heinous path”. Singh reminded the IPS probationers, a third
of who are engineers, that the people did not have a “good image” of the police. “This must change,” he
said, reminding them that the police was “charged with responsibility of law enforcement in a humane
manner, which respects the fundamental human rights of our people”. India was a “functioning
democracy” and the police must “never lose sight of the human rights of the citizens at large”, he said.
(Hindustan Times 27/12/12)
Sheila Dikshit blames unbridled influx of migrants for Delhi's woes (13)
New Delhi: Identifying "unbridled influx" of migrants into Delhi as a major challenge, Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit today blamed the burgeoning population for putting existing infrastructure under strain and sought
help from the Centre to deal with the situation. In her address at 57th meeting of the National
Development Council, Dikshit said the national capital was grappling with "unparallelled and
unprecedented" challenges and cited continuous influx of people from across the country as a major
cause of concern. "Delhi's burgeoning population trend is further exacerbated by the continuous and
unbridled influx of people from all over the country. Higher wages, better educational and health care
facilities, more employment opportunities are some of the factors responsible for the continuous influx,"
she said. Acknowledging the contribution of the migrants in evolution of an "eclectic culture" in the city,
Dikshit, however, said the ever increasing population has put enormous pressure on housing, sanitation,
power, water, sewerage, solid waste management, public health and transport system. "The proliferation

of private vehicles and consequent clogging of roads is another problem that shows no trend of
abatement," she said emphasising the need for bringing an innovative multimodel transport system for the
city at the "earliest"."Being the capital city of India, making Delhi an environmentally sustainable habitat
and a global heritage city as envisaged in the 12th Plan is a national desideratum and calls for huge
resources and massive effort," Dikshit added. Listing various hurdles facing her government in combating
various challenges, Dikshit rued that Delhi has not been given full statehood and that control over land
and police was with the Centre, issues on which it has often expressed its unhappiness. (Indian Express
28/12/12)