Rohingya refugees entering illegally in Nepal from the Eastern border

Biratnagar: It has been found that Rohingya refugees who have taken refuge in Bangladesh after being displaced from Myanmar have started entering Eastern Nepal through the border checkpoint via India.

The issue of Rohingya Muslims entering Nepal through the border checkpoints of Jhapa's Kankadvitta and Morang in search of ease of life has shocked the local administration. As the situation in the country becomes more complicated due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, the stress of Rohingya migrants has also increased. Taking advantage of the fact that all the state forces were mobilized under the control of Corona, it was found that the gang was active in smuggling Rohingyas into Nepal.

The Peace, Security and Crime Control Branch under the Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a letter instructing the concerned District Administration Office to take action after understanding the facts. In a letter sent by the ministry on April 20, the administration has been given the necessary instructions to take action in coordination with the concerned agencies.

According to home sources, only a few days ago, 10/12 Rohingya immigrants entered Nepal from India through the Kakadvitta border crossing in Jhapa. An official of the Home Ministry said that they had received special information that they had entered Nepal secretly and were taking shelter in Tagandubba, a Muslim settlement in the Kamal village of Jhapa.

According to him, there are reports that two Rohingya families of three from India were brought to Biratnagar through the border checkpoint of Morang and kept there. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. The officials said that all the security mechanisms have been mobilized for search and identification but they could not be found. Not being able to find it has increased anxiety.

Home sources said that the gang that brought Rohingya Muslims into Nepal has shown readiness to take necessary action. A Home Ministry source said, "The process is underway to prevent them from coming to Nepal in the coming days and to search and identify those who have come.

A special meticulous investigation is underway to find and identify the Rohingya who have infiltrated eastern Nepal according to a senior Home Ministry official. Millions of Rohingya Muslims who were displaced from Myanmar a few years ago are taking refuge in Bangladesh. About 500 of them have come to Nepal via India and are camping in the Ram Mandir area of ​​Budhanilkantha Municipality in Kathmandu, said a home source.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that Maulana Zubair of the Rohingya Immigrant Camp in the Ram Mandir area and Rafiq Alam of the Immigrant Camp in Lasuntar have been active in bringing Rohingyas to Nepal from Bangladesh and India. The House has sent a joint letter to the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, Jhapa, and Morang to find out the truth about this issue as soon as possible.

The letter states that Rohingya Muslims in India and Bangladesh have been active in entering Nepal through various checkpoints since the past. According to sources, Zubair has been involved in infiltrating Rohingyas in eastern Nepal recently. Although the local administration has intensified the search, he has not been found.

The Home Ministry has said that action will be taken against Zubair for committing illegal acts. According to the ministry, he used to bring Rohingya Muslims into Nepal for up to Rs 40,000 per person.

According to the ministry, Zubair said that life in Nepal was comparatively better than in Bangladesh and India and that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which was working to protect refugees, was trying to bring Rohingyas to Nepal by extorting money. According to home sources, the lives of refugees in India and Bangladesh are uneasy. In the past, looking at the situation of Bhutanese refugees, it is certain that the refugee life is more comfortable than other countries, so Nepal is also the choice of Rohingyas, said a source.

"Due to the open border between Nepal and India, it is very difficult and challenging to stop the unimpeded movement from India," said an official of the Jhapa administration. The Ministry of Home Affairs has concluded that special action is needed to stop the influx of Rohingya refugees who have been entering Nepal for some time.

Jhapa Chief District Officer Shrawan Kumar Timalsina said that the border checkpoints have been tightened to prevent Rohingyas from entering the country. "As India has an open border, they can enter Nepal at any time," he said. "That is why the local administration is sensitive to stop and control it as per the instructions from the center."

He informed that if anyone is found entering Nepal illegally, they will be taken under control and sent to the Immigration Department to take action as per the Immigration Act. "We are working to prevent the Rohingya from entering Nepal," said Prajia Timalsina. "We are conducting necessary investigations and investigations to take legal action against the suspected smugglers."

Chief District Officer of Morang, Koshahari Niraula, said that the law does not allow Rohingyas to enter Nepal. "Allowing them to come as refugees can cause a lot of problems," he said. "They can't come without a passport." He said that those who come with passports should return after the expiration date.

According to Prajia Niraula, work is being done consciously to allow the Rohingya to enter Nepal by taking advantage of the opportunity to focus on controlling the Corona epidemic. "Some Rohingyas may come to Nepal and settle as urban refugees," he said. "That is why all the checkpoints entering Nepal from India are under high-security surveillance." According to Prajia Niraula, even though a special team is being mobilized to search for those allegedly infiltrated into Nepal, it is difficult to find them.

Though there have been repeated discussions and talks between Myanmar and Bangladesh on the issue of repatriation of Rohingyas living in Bangladesh after being displaced from Myanmar, the issue has not been meaningful. Myanmar's Rohingya minority, who have been forced to flee their country due to violence in the country, are living as refugees in another country. Despite calls from the international community, the Myanmar government has not responded. Instead, he is claiming that the Rohingya are Bangladeshi nationals who have come and settled in Myanmar.