A CNN investigation has revealed that at least 40 Rohingya refugees, including 13 women and 27 men, were secretly deported from India to Myanmar under covert operations that bypassed legal procedures, raising alarm among human rights advocates and the United Nations.
According to testimonies collected by CNN from sources in India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, the group was initially summoned in May 2024 for biometric registration in New Delhi and its surrounding areas. Instead, they were allegedly detained, separated, and flown to Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. From there, they were placed on military vessels, blindfolded, threatened with weapons, and ultimately forced to disembark near Myanmar’s coast.
Witnesses and human rights groups said the refugees were handed over to armed forces or allied militias in Myanmar’s southern Tanintharyi region, where heavy fighting between the military and resistance forces continues. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews condemned the revelations, calling the deportations “an abhorrent violation of human dignity.” He added:
“Such cruel actions would be a brazen affront to human dignity and a serious threat to international law, which prohibits expelling people to places where their lives are at risk.”
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has not issued an official response, and CNN reported that multiple requests for comment from government agencies went unanswered. The Indian government has previously insisted that all migration measures comply with domestic law.
Human rights advocates argue that the forced deportation not only violates international refugee protection norms but also sets a dangerous precedent for countries hosting displaced Rohingya. Roughly 20,000 Rohingya are estimated to live in India, most without formal refugee status or recognition by international bodies.
CNN’s report underscores concern that deported Rohingya may have been left vulnerable to persecution, arbitrary detention, or violence in conflict-hit Myanmar. Rights organizations have since called for an independent investigation and accountability for what could amount to refoulement — the unlawful return of refugees to a place where their lives are in danger.
The case highlights the precarious intersection of migration policy, national security, and international refugee rights. Advocates stress that protecting displaced populations must remain a priority, particularly amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis facing the Rohingya.
BOB Post
