REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS - 2016 January to April – 2016

Compiled By Fr. Paul G Documentation Centre∗

1. Pak refugees dream of Adnan's luck (13)

AHMEDABAD: January 1 was a major day for Pakistani singer and music director Adnan Sami as his

application got accepted and he became an Indian citizen. This development has found resonance in

Pakistani nationals in the city who have been living in India on longterm visa for several decades and

hope that it will set precedence of sorts. Mahadev Lohana, 42, a doctor by education, had come a

month later than Adnan -in April 2001-fleeing extremists in Sindh of Pakistan. As he does not have

permission for practising medicine here, he is associated with a city hospital as administrator. "We

have a stigma attached to us even as we fled the country with a hope of better life in India. We find it

difficult to get jobs or even places to stay even as many of us have our spouses from India and

children," he says. While the efforts by Lohana to get the Indian citizenship are still on, for Sanjay

Thakkar, 37, it's a lesson in patience as he has lost his father with his last wish to die as an Indian

citizen. "It is a painful experience for any human being to get uprooted from motherland. However,

living in Pakistan for Hindu and Sindhi communities is becoming increasingly difficult and thus, most

of us come with a hope to get accepted in the fold. My wife is an Indian and it is her documents that

ensure future for my children," he says. (Times of India 4/1/16)

2. Over 1 lakh Tamil refugees in India (13)

CHENNAI: More than six-and-a-half years after the civil war between the Sri Lankan government and

the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended, over 1.22 lakh people from the

neighbouring island continue to live as refugees in other countries, while another 50,000 people are

internally-displaced, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR). A total of 1,22,533 persons from Sri Lanka are living as refugees in other

countries and 15,504 persons (pending cases) have sought asylum there. A total of 50,268 have been

internally displaced within the country, the Mid-Year Trends 2015 released by UNHCR recently

stated. While 231 refugees returned to the island in the first half of last year, none of those who had

been internally-displaced went back to their original home during that period. Though there are

conflicting versions about the number of persons killed in the war, according to an estimate of the

United Nations about 40,000 persons have been killed. S.C. Chandrahasan, Treasurer of

Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) said, “The government of India should come

with a generous package to supplement the efforts of the Sri Lankan government in facilitating the

return of the refugees.” Referring to the recent developments in the island, including the release of

over 700 acres of civil land so far under the control of the Army to the civilian authorities, Mr.

Chandrahasan said this was the right time to encourage more refugees to return as most of the land

owners are living in camps in India. OfERR has organised Skype meetings between refugees living in

India and the returnees who went back to the island on how the situation has improved. “To make

things easy for their return, ferry services must be recommenced, as that would also ease the

financial burden on the aiding agencies in helping the return of refugees.” The government of Tamil

Nadu, where over a lakh Lankan refugees are living in camps, has been sceptical of their return to Sri

Lanka. In January last year, the then Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said that the conditions in the

Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka were “still not conducive” for the refugees to return. (The

Hindu 4/1/16)

∗ This is a collection of previously published news and views from the print as well as the electronic media, whose

reference marked at the end of each news items. Department of Documentation and Library (DDL) of the Indian Social

Institute, New Delhi neither claims to the veracity of the facts in the news nor subscribes to the views expressed.

3. 12,000 Syrian refugees amass at Jordan border (13)

AMMAN: Jordan has acknowledged that more than 12,000 Syrian refugees have amassed at its

border, awaiting entry. The confirmation by government spokesman Mohammed Momani comes after

Jordan initially dismissed a similar estimate provided by the UN refugee agency as exaggerated.The

refugees are stranded in a remote desert area on the Syrian-Jordanian border, often spending weeks

or months there in what aid agencies say are deteriorating humanitarian conditions. In December, the

UN refugee agency urged Jordan to allow the refugees to enter. Momani says about 50 to 100

refugees are permitted entry each day, with priority given to women, children, the elderly and sick

people. He says mass entry is unlikely because of security concerns. (Times of India 6/1/16)

4. UN chief names adviser for UN summit on refugees, migrants (13)

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced the appointment of Karen

AbuZayd as special adviser on the summit on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants,

which will be held at the UN General Assembly in September. The special adviser will work with UN

entities and undertake consultations with Member States and other relevant stakeholders in the lead

up to the summit, Xinhua cited Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, as saying on

Tuesday. "This will include overseeing the secretary-general`s report on large movements of refugees

and migrants, to be submitted to the General Assembly in May 2016," said Dujarric. AbuZayd has

extensive UN experience in humanitarian and human rights work in numerous countries. She was

appointed commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the

Near East (UNRWA) in 2005 and served in that position till 2010. Since 2011, she has served as a

commissioner on the Independent Inquiry Commission on Syria. (Zee News 6/1/16)

5. Thousands at far-right rally against Merkel migrant policy (13)

Leipzig (Germany): Thousands of far-right protesters have rallied in the eastern German city of

Leipzig against the record refugee influx they blamed for sexual violence against women at New

Year's Eve festivities. The crowd loudly vented its anger at Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday,

whom they accuse of destroying their homeland by allowing in 1.1 million asylum seekers last year.

"We are the people", "Resistance!" and "Deport them!", chanted the followers of LEGIDA, the local

chapter of xenophobic group PEGIDA, the "Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the

Occident".A heavy police presence, with water canon at the ready, kept watch over the crowd of

several thousand, and separated them from thousands of counter-demonstrators, as rain poured

down. While the rally stayed peaceful, police said some 250 far-right hooligans had thrown rocks and

smashed shop windows in a traditionally left-wing student district of the city, before police dispersed

them. The key theme of the LEGIDA protest was the New Year's Eve attacks in the western city of

Cologne, where hundreds of women reported being groped and robbed by men described as Arabs

and North Africans, in scenes that have shocked the country. Justice Minister Heiko Maas earlier

warned yesterday that "those who now hound refugees -- on the Internet or on the streets -- have

obviously just been waiting for the events of Cologne" and were now "shamelessly exploiting" the

attacks. "Refugees not welcome!" read one sign, showing a silhouette of three men armed with knives

pursuing a woman, while another declared "Islam = terror". "Since New Year's Eve, nothing is like it

was," said one speaker, PEGIDA activist Tatjana Festerling, who decried the night's "sex jihad against

women"."Asylum-Mummy Merkel had barely delivered her New Year's address to the people when in

Cologne the first fireworks hit the cathedral and police," she said. "Then these Muslim refugees

started their wholesale terror attack against German women, against blonde, white women," she said

to loud boos from the crowd. Waving a sign declaring "State of injustice", 44-year-old demonstrator

Lukas Richter said "Merkel is breaching the constitution and must go," and that "the government must

close the borders and return all illegal migrants".He charged that the New Year's Eve attacks

highlighted "the violence of foreigners in Germany that has existed for years". One sign mocked

Merkel's "We can do it" motto on the refugee influx, saying "You can't even secure a train station".

(Zee News 12/1/16)

6. India has largest diaspora population in world: UN report (13)

United Nations: India's diaspora population is the largest in the world with 16 million people from India

living outside their country in 2015, according to a latest UN survey on international migrant trends.

The survey conducted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) said the number

of international migrants - persons living in a country other than where they were born - reached 244

million in 2015 for the world as a whole, a 41 per cent increase compared to 2000. The 2015

Revision, nearly two thirds of international migrants live in Europe (76 million) or Asia (75 million),

according to the Trends in International Migrant Stock. "The rise in the number of international

migrants reflects the increasing importance of international migration, which has become an integral

part of our economies and societies," said Wu Hongbo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic

and Social Affairs. "Well-managed migration brings important benefits to countries of origin and

destination, as well as to migrants and their families," Hongbo added. India has the largest diaspora in

the world, followed by Mexico and Russia. In 2015, 16 million people from India were living outside of

their country, a growth from 6.7 million in 1990, the survey stated. Mexico's diaspora population stood

at 12 million.Other countries with large diasporas included Russia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan and

Ukraine. Of the twenty countries with the largest number of international migrants living abroad, 11

were in Asia, 6 in Europe, and one each in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Northern

America, the survey said. This figure includes almost 20 million refugees. The survey further said that

in 2015, two thirds of all international migrants were living in only 20 countries, starting with the US,

which hosted 19 per cent of all migrants at 46.6 million, followed by Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia,

the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. India ranked 12th out of these 20 countries,

hosting 5.2 million migrants in 2015, a drop from 7.5 million in 1990. The UN data shows that the

number of international migrants has grown faster than the world's population. As a result, the share

of migrants in the global population reached 3.3 per cent in 2015, up from 2.8 per cent in 2000. Two

out of three international migrants in 2015 lived in Europe or Asia, the survey said, adding that nearly

half of all international migrants worldwide were born in Asia. Among major regions of the world,

Northern America hosts the third largest number of international migrants, followed by Africa, Latin

America and the Caribbean and Oceania. Between 2000 and 2015, Asia added more international

migrants than any other major region, or a total of 26 million additional migrants. The 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders last September at the United Nations, stresses

the multidimensional reality of migration. .. (Deccan Herald 14/1/16)

7. 'Migration a natural phenomenon, cannot be stopped' (13)

New Delhi: Migration is a 'natural phenomenon' and the restrictions that came in place at the

beginning of the 20th century will not last in the 21st century, political expert Sanjaya Baru said on

Monday. Baru, who is currently the director for geo-economics and strategy at the International

Institute of Strategic Studies, was speaking at the launch of a book "Politics of Migration: Indian

Emigration in a Globalized World" written by A. Didar Singh, Secretary General of Ficci and S. Irudaya

Rajan. The book was launched on Monday by Minister of State for External Affairs General V.K.

Singh (retd). "Migration is a natural phenomenon since the beginning of humans. The curtailing

started only in the inter-war period. Till the beginning of World War I, majority of countries did not

have control on the movement of people," Baru said. "It cannot last in the 21st century, because of

demographic transition," he said. Baru explained that the ageing population in developed countries

will face the problem of a work force while the young population in the developing countries need

work. This, he said, will lead to inevitable migration. "We need to reduce the fear of migration, it is an

unnatural human reaction," he said. The book, meanwhile, dispelled several "myths" about migration,

the first being that migrations take place due to economic compulsions. "People generally do not

leave their countries of origin because of lack of economic development. Rather, they often emigrate

owing to the onset of development itself," it said. The book also argued against the misnomer that

migration hurts the economy of the country of origin, or that migrants take away jobs from locals.

"Migrants generally travel to where there are jobs available, often filling vacancies where there are

skill shortages," it said. (Business Standard 18/1/16)

8. Another 41 Sri Lankan refugees return home (13)

CHENNAI: Forty-one Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Chennai and Madurai returned home on Tuesday

under a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugeesfacilitated repatriation programme. Of the 41

refugees, 15 are male and 26 female, said diplomatic sources. They are to be resettled in

Trincomalee, Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu. According to diplomats of the Lankan deputy

high commission in the city , there are nearly 1,00,000 Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu. Last

November, 42 refugees had returned. This was in addition to the 429 that re turned during the course

of last year. Of more than 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in the state, 5,600 have returned home

since 2011. There are 64,000 Lankan Tamils in refugee camps now. Most Lankan Tamil families live

in KK Nagar, Neelankarai and Valasaravakkam in Chennai, Thuvakudi in Tri chy , Nagercoil in

Kanyaku mari, and RS Puram and Val parai in Coimbatore. Organisation for Eelam Refugees

Rehabilitation fo under S C Chandrahasan sa id the two governments sho uld sign a pact on the

return of refugees. (Times of India 20/1/16)

9. 21 dead as boats sink off Greek islands (13)

ATHENS: At least 21 people, including eight children, died in two separate incidents of boats

smuggling migrants or refugees sinking off two Greek islands overnight into Friday. Dozens survived,

and a search and rescue operation was underway for more potential survivors. In the first incident, a

wooden boat carrying 48 people sank in the early hours off the small islet of Farmakonissi in the

eastern Aegean. Forty of the passengers managed to make it to shore, while authorities rescued one

girl and recovered seven bodies from the sea those of six children and one woman, the coast guard

said. A few hours later, a wooden sailboat carrying an undetermined number of people sank off the

islet of Kalolimnos, to the south of Farmakonissi. The coast guard rescued 26 people and recovered

14 bodies nine women, three men and two children while coast guard vessels, a helicopter and

private boats were searching for survivors. Authorities said the survivors’ estimates of how many

people had originally been on board varied from about 40 to 70, so it was unclear how many people

were missing. Greece has become the main gateway for people fleeing war and poverty trying to

reach the European Union. More than 800,000 entered Greece last year, mostly using unseaworthy

boats to reach Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast. Hundreds have died in the attempt. (The

Hindu 22/1/16)

10. At 15.6m, India tops list in migrants living in other countries (13)

CHENNAI: In the five-year period from 2010 to 2015, India displaced Russia as the country with the

largest diaspora in the world, as per UN data on migrants for 2015. While the UAE, with its job

opportunities for all sections of people, tops as the preferred destination for India-born migrants, the

US that lets in only highly qualified professional Indians, is today home to nearly 20 lakh people born

in India. Australia, which is on the other corner of the globe, comes high up on the list with 4 lakh

Indians. Even tiny Bermuda hasn't escaped the attention of emigrating Indians. Some 500 Indians live

there. Between 1990 and 2010, Russia was topping the list of migrants but its diaspora was

concentrated in a few countries like Israel. Paradoxically enough, the spike in Indian migration

happened after the country's economy moved into a high-growth path. In 2000, India equalled Russia

in migrant outflow with 10.8 million each. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of migrants from India

dipped by 0.3% but after 2005, the number has been increasing steadily. Today, a total of 15.6 million

people born in India are living across all continents. The rate of migration to foreign countries has

increased by half compared to 10 years ago. Observers see Indian migration as helping world

economies. "Indian migrants to the US have been a great asset for the world. Their contribution to

development of information technology has been useful to various sections. Similarly in Gulf

countries, many Indians are in the managerial cadre and their contribution has been immensely

appreciated," former diplomat G Parthasarathi told TOI. Indians working as construction labourers are

also most sought after by companies in the Gulf. "Indian labourers are highly disciplined and they are

ready to jobs which Europeans or people from developed countries may find it tough to do," said

Parthasarathi. In 2005, 10.5 million migrated from India and the number went up to 13.3 million at the

end of 2010, an increase of 26%.Between 2010 and 2015, the numbers increased by 17.5%, says the

UN report. The number of Indians who migrated rose 18% in 2015 from 8.5 million in 2010. The

number of women rose 15% from 4.8 million in 2010 to 5.5 million in 2015. Congress has corroded

the fabric of our nation due to corruption, reservation, nepotism and crime. "Migrants from South Asia

totalled 37.1 million, of whom 20.6% were living in Organisation of Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD) countries and nearly 43% were in high-income non-OECD countries (such as

the GCC). The largest source countries of migrants were India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan

and Nepal. The region hosted 12.4 million migrants, the majority of whom were from within the

region," says Migration and Remittances Factbook 2016 of the World Bank. The factbook says south-

south migration is larger than south-north migration. Over 38% of the international migrants in 2013

migrated from developing countries to other developing countries, compared to 34% that moved from

developing countries to advanced countries. The top 10 migrant destination countries were the US,

Saudi Arabia, Germany, Russia, UAE, UK, France, Canada, Spain and Australia. (Times of India

25/1/16)

11. Refugee camps to Adarsh Gram: Tales from an East Bengal trail (13)

The years following August 1947 were difficult times for Hindus in East Pakistan, present day

Bangladesh. It was under circumstances on increasing attacks and life threats that the protagonists of

the Bengali tales in Raichur left their homes. The journey was a long one with a lot of formalities at

every stopover. They had to mandatorily get Relief Eligibility Certificates (see image), reasons for

migration in which also tell the tales of discrimination and fear of life. These were among the last set

of families that left East Pakistan, some crossed the border between 1969-71, while a few others a

couple of years after Bangladesh was formed in 1971. They still don't call it Bangladesh with their

hearts, the idea of East Pakistan is also something they believe mainland India forced upon them,

almost without any consent. "Indian independence was purchased at the cost of our land and we are

called refugees in our own country," say Prasen Raptan, 39, whose father migrated here as a

refugee. "...What if we had said no to division, it would have meant no Pakistan, or India. We would

still be in East Bengal," Prasen, a Ph.D holder, adds. The mood is similar across the four

Rehabilitation (RH) Camps that the Bengalis occupy, located nearly 100-km away from Raichur Town,

and 380-km from Bengaluru. From just 4,000 people from 932 families in 1971, there are nearly

15,000 people and the number of families have gone up to 3,768. While the fight for citizenship had

began instantaneously, the government began considering only post 1980s (see image). With

increasing numbers their voice became stronger, but not strong enough. "It was difficult to digest that

we, whose ancestors were the sons of the same soil had to fight for citizenship,' says Swapan Baidya,

39, a headmaster of a high school in RH Camp 4. Their existence continued as refugees: Apathy

here, no place in Bangladesh. And being divided in four RH Camps, although there are no physical

barriers put in place, meant there was a lack of one, united formidable voice. (Timews of India

30/1/16)

12. Syrian refugees struggle to buy food as aid dwindles (13)

KAWERGOSK CAMP (Iraq): Perwin Shamsaddeen Ali, a Syrian refugee living in a tent camp in

northern Iraq, has been reduced to cooking one meal a day for her family of four. "I cook at 11 o'clock

and we eat the leftovers in the evening. Why? Because we have no more food, that's why," the 28-

year-old mother of two said as her sons tossed a balloon outside their tent. "Today I gave the kids

some noodles, that's all. That's all we had today." As aid agencies struggle to keep pace with the

worst refugee crisis since World War II they have been forced to cut back on assistance, including

food rations. With no end in sight to the Syrian war, and regional host countries increasingly

overwhelmed, many refugees see the perilous crossing to Europe as their only option. Donors will be

asked to provide nearly $9 billion to aid agencies and host countries in 2016 at an annual conference

held on Thursday in London — a record request. But donors have come up short in previous years. A

funding shortfall last year forced the World Food Program, the UN agency responsible for feeding the

refugees, to cut back. Some refugees no longer receive any food aid, while others get half what they

did before. Monthly cash assistance has been reduced to $10 per person. Ali's husband has been

jobless for months. The local economy in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq has been

hard-hit by the war against the Islamic State group and the plunge in global oil prices. "We are selling

our stuff, our household items, to get along. Most of the time we sell the kerosene," she said, referring

to the fuel they receive from aid groups to heat their tent and cook. Some refugees say the voucher

system the WFP uses to hand out aid is exacerbating the problem, since it can only be used in the

camp's supermarket, where goods are more expensive than outside. "A kilogram (2 pounds) of sugar

costs 750 Iraqi dinars ($0.60) outside the camp. Here, it's 1,500. The same with rice. A chicken costs

3,500 dinars outside, while here it's 5,000," said Khaled Fattah, 42, also from Syria, who lives in the

camp with his wife and five children. … (Times of India 4/2/16)

13. Refugees From Pakistan Get a New Lease of Life (13)

NEW DELHI: In huge relief to Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh, who escaped persecution and

took refuge in India, the Modi Government has decided to give them a passport-like ID with a five-

year long-term visa (LTV) stamped on it. A senior government official said the Ministry of Home Affairs

will soon organise special camps in several cities simultaneously to register and extend the five-year

LTV to minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Currently, the vital document is in the

form of a normal paper sheet which is often misplaced by them, said a Home Ministry official adding

that the newly-designed format will help in many ways. “The five-year LTV with Government of India

stamp will help them get rid of harassment from police and other agencies who often consider them a

threat because of the language barrier. The Government, during the process of extending the new

LTV, will also assist them to fill up forms etc,” said the official. Although religion-wise break up of

foreign nationals, including those from Pakistan and Bangladesh, is not centrally maintained by the

government, officials said the number of such refugees seeking shelter could be over a lakh who are

now staying in 400 camps located in different cities. “The states have been asked to coordinate with

the local authorities for the camps in coordination with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers

(FRROs) and FRO accordingly. A timeline of 21 days has been given to these authorities to process

all LTV applications,” the official said. Once issued, the LTV will enable children of minority nationals

from neighbouring countries to get admission in schools, colleges, universities, and technical

institutions without any specific permission from the States or UT administration. They will also be

allowed to take up jobs in the private sector. In 2015, over 2,000 minority Pakistani nationals were

granted Long Term Visa by the Centre. (New Indian Express 5/2/16)

14. Thousands More Refugees Join Scramble to Reach Europe as Syria's Agony Deepens (13)

SYRIA: Up to 70,000 Syrians were heading for Turkey last night (Saturday) threatening to send a new

wave of migrants into Europe as Syria's civil war intensified. The latest exodus came as Syrian regime

forces advanced on the strategically vital opposition stronghold of Aleppo, closing in on a major

victory with the help of sustained Russian air strikes on rebel positions. With an estimated 35,000 new

refugees already gathering at Syria's Bab al-Salam crossing with Turkey, European foreign ministers

and officials held emergency talks in Amsterdam with their Turkish counterparts to draw up a plan to

deal with the crisis. Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's foreign minister, warned of the "very real prospect

that there will be another huge influx of refugees", precipitated by what he called "indiscriminate"

Russian bombing around Aleppo. However last night Turkey had resisted EU pressure to open the

border-crossing for the refugees. The Bab al-Salam crossing has remained open until now and has

proved to be a key entry point for foreign fighters flocking to join the war. Suleyman Tapsiz, the

governor of the Kilis border province, said a wave of at least 70,000 refugee was "a possibility" as the

noose tightened around Aleppo, where an estimated 350,000 rebels and civilians are trapped. New

arrivals are currently being accommodated "in eight camps on the Syrian side of the border," Mr

Tapsiz said, adding that in Turkey's view there was "no need for now" to transfer them to Turkey

which has already absorbed more than two million. "Our doors are not closed, but at the moment

there is no need to host such people inside our borders," he said. Johannes Hahn, a European

commissioner, yesterday warned Turkey that it needed to cut dramatically the number of migrants

reaching Greece within weeks or the pressure for more border closures and fences will grow.

Frustrated that refugees continue to stream into Greece despite a pounds 2.3?billion deal between

Ankara and Brussels to slow down the flows, Mr Hahn said Turkey must show results by the time EU

leaders meet later this month. (New Indian Express 7/2/16)

15. 43 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu, India are arriving Sri Lanka Tomorrow (13)

Colombo, 08 February, (Asiantribune.com): 43 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu, India are

arriving Sri Lanka on 9th February 2016 Under the UNHCR facilitated voluntary repatriation

programme. D.M.Swaminathan - Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu

Religious AffairsThey are scheduled to arrive through Sri Lankan Airlines (UL 132) at 10.20 a.m from

Trichy and Mihin Lanka Airlines (MJ130) at 12.20 p.m. from Chennai and (MJ308) at 10.20 a.m. from

Madurai. D. M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu

Religious Affairs had a discussion with the UNHCR and facilitated the process and increased the

baggage allowance per person with assistance of the Ministry of Public Enterprise Development, Sri

Lankan Air Lines and Mihin Lanka Airlines. Mr.V.Sivagnanasothy, Secretary, Ministry of Prison

Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs confirmed that of the 43 refugee

returnees 24 are males and 19 are females. These refugee returnees will get back to Trincomalee,

Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaithivu, Kilinochchci and Mannar. V.Sivagnansothy - Secretary, Ministry of

Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Further, the UNHCR

provides free air tickets, reintegration allowance of US$ 75 per person, transport allowance US$ 19

per person and monitory non-food grant of US$ 75 per family. Since 2011, already 4589 refugees

(16511 Families) have returned to Sri Lanka said the Ministry Secretary Mr.V.Sivagnanasothy. Over

64,000 are stationed in 109 welfare camps in India. Totally, over 100,000 refugees are currently in

India. D.M.Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu

Religious Affairs put up a Cabinet paper seeking financial support to provide livelihood assistance to

the refugee returnees which is now being referred to the national planning authorities to consider with

the comprehensive project proposal. Further, the provision of dry ration has been already approved

for 6 months. The REPPIA has been instructed by the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation,

Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs to provide compensation for those who have lost their

houses and suffered loss of lives of kiths and kins and for injuries. Ministry Secretary

Mr.V.Sivagnansothy informed that, the refugees who lost their houses will be provided with houses

under the 65,000 housing programme of the Ministry. The Government of Sri Lanka has initiated

action to encourage the voluntary refugee returnee programme on a phased out basis and the current

trend of increased refugee returnees is a sign of reconciliation and moving towards permanent peace

said the Ministry secretary. (Asian Tribune 8/2/16)

16. '500 dead' in Syria regime's Aleppo assault (13)

Beirut: World powers urged Russia to end its air strikes, which a senior US official said were "directly

enabling" the Islamic State group, and the UN Security Council met to discuss the conflict. The

meeting behind closed doors came ahead of crucial international talks Thursday in Munich to push for

Syrian peace negotiations. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 506 people had died since

the regime launched a major offensive against rebels in Aleppo province on February 1, including 23

children killed in Russian air strikes. Tens of thousands of Syrians were still stranded Wednesday at

the Oncupinar border crossing to Turkey, which remained closed. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet

Davutoglu on Wednesday said it was building a new camp for the refugees inside Syria, and said it

was unfair to ask Turkey to open its borders without pressuring Russia over its bombing. "I find it

hypocritical that some circles are telling Turkey to 'open your borders' while at the same time failing to

tell Russia 'enough is enough'," Davutoglu told reporters.Turkey is already hosting 2.7 million Syrian

refugees and has refused to let a new wave into the country, leaving many sleeping in tents or the

open. Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Wednesday the healthcare system

around the war-torn town of Azaz in Aleppo province was "close to collapse" due to the fighting. Since

Saturday, an MSF hospital near Azaz has seen an increase of about 50 percent in its outpatient

department. Many are suffering respiratory tract infections. Those who have fled the offensive tell of

scenes of terror and suffering. "Children are dying under bombs and from hunger and cold. They are

living on the roads. They don't have any place to stay," said Abdul Karim Bahloul. Human rights

groups weighed in, urging Turkey to accept those stranded on its border. "Forcing people to remain in

a war zone, where they risk death and injury, is no solution to the challenge of protecting Syrians

fleeing their country," said Human Rights Watch. The International Committee of the Red Cross

(ICRC) estimated around 50,000 people have been displaced by the violence, mainly in northern

areas of Aleppo province. (Deccan Herald 11/2/16)

17. Over 4,000 refugees leave Finland (13)

Helsinki : Thousands of Iraqi refugees who arrived in Finland last year have decided to cancel their

asylum applications and to return home voluntarily, citing family issues and disappointment with life in

the frosty Nordic country. Almost two-thirds of the asylum seekers last year were young Iraqi men, but

some are now having second thoughts, so Finland will begin chartering flights to Baghdad from next

week to take them home. Officials said about 4,100 asylum seekers had so far cancelled their

applications and that number was likely to reach 5,000 in the coming months. “My baby boy is sick, I

need to get back home,” said Alsaedi Hussein, buying a flight back to Baghdad at a small travel

agency in Helsinki. Somalia-born Muhiadin Hassan, who runs the travel agency, said he was now

selling 15 to 20 flights to Baghdad every day. “It’s been busy here for the past few months,” he said. A

majority of the home-bound migrants have told immigration services they want to return to their

families, but some expressed disappointment with life in Finland. “Some say the conditions in Finland

and the lengthy asylum process did not meet their expectations, or what they had been told by the

people they paid for their travel,” said Tobias van Treeck, programme officer at the International

Organisation for Migration. Echoing that comment, travel agent Hassan said: “Some say they don’t

like the food here, it’s too cold or they don’t feel welcome in Finland. There are many reasons.” Nearly

80 per cent of the migrants returning home are Iraqis. Just 22 of the 877 Syrians — whose country is

racked by civil war — and 35 of the 5,214 Afghans who sought asylum in Finland last year have

asked to return to their home country. Along with other Nordic states, Finland has recently tightened

its immigration policies, for example requiring working-age asylum seekers to do some unpaid work.

Hostility to migrants has also increased in Finland, a country with little experience of mass

immigration and which now has economic problems. Germany too, which took in 1.1 million people in

2015, has seen small numbers of Iraqi refugees choosing to go home. Finland had been preparing to

reject up to 20,000 asylum seekers from 2015, but the number of voluntary returnees could

significantly reduce that figure. “The number of returnees is increasing steadily ... All asylum seekers

are informed about the options for voluntary return and about the available financial assistance,” said

Paivi Nerg, a senior official in the Finnish interior ministry. However, most Iraqi returnees pay for their

own flight home or seek help from Iraq’s embassy in Helsinki, she added. Last year the Finnish

government and the IOM provided financial help to 631 returnees and a similar number is expected

this year. The charter flights will carry up to 100 passengers back to Baghdad from Helsinki every

week for as long as demand lasts, officials said. (Asian Age 12/2/16)

18. Bangladesh begins census of Myanmar's Rohingya refugees (13)

Dhaka, Feb 13 : Bangladesh has started to conduct a census on Myanmar's Rohingya refugees living

in the country's southeastern districts bordering Myanmar to determine their exact figure. Bangladesh

Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has began the listing of households as part of primary task in six

southeastern districts - Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and

Patuakhali, Xinhua reported. The listing of Rohingya households will continue till February 17,

according to Md Emdadul Huq, joint director of Chittagong Divisional Office of BBS. After completion

of listing of households, the census will begin by the end of the next month. Officials said the census

aimed at ending confusion about the exact number of Rohingya people living in Bangladesh.

Currently there were various figures coming out from various ways on the number of Rohingya people

in Bangladesh, which is considered a barrier to resolving the problem. Some 30,000 registered

refugees are reportedly staying at two camps in Bangladesh, in addition to 300,000 to 500,000 more

illegal Rohingya immigrants in the country. The government of Myanmar has pledged to take back

these its undocumented nationals after verification of their origin, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry

statement had earlier said. (New Kerala 13/2/16)

19. Pope decries global `human tragedy` of forced migration (13)

Chihuahua: Pope Francis on Wednesday decried the "human tragedy" of what he described as

"forced migration" worldwide during a huge mass at Mexico`s border with the United States. Francis

made a point of holding the service in Ciudad Juarez, which lies across from El Paso, Texas, to pray

for migrants who risk their lives crossing the border between the two nations. While he bemoaned the

fate of Central Americans and Mexicans who flee poverty and crime-infested regions to seek a better

life in the United States, he also talked about a global tragedy. "We cannot deny the humanitarian

crisis which in recent years has meant the migration of thousands of people, whether by train or

highway or on foot, crossing hundreds of kilometers through mountains, deserts and inhospitable

zones," Francis said. "The human tragedy that is forced migration is a global phenomenon today." He

did not mention other parts of the world by name but Europe is facing its gravest migration challenge

since World War II, with many asylum-seekers fleeing war in Syria and drowning in the

Mediterranean. Migrants, he said, are "excluded as a result of poverty and violence, drug trafficking

and criminal organizations." "Injustice is radicalized in the young; they are cannon fodder, persecuted

and threatened when they try to flee the spiral of violence and the hell of drugs. Then there are the

many women unjustly robbed of their lives," he said. "No more death. No more exploitation. There is

still time to change, there is still a way out and a chance, time to implore the mercy of God." The

pontiff then asked for a moment of silence. (Zee News 18/2/16)

20. Over 110,000 migrants have crossed Med to Europe this year (13)

Geneva: More than 110,000 migrants and refugees have crossed the Mediterranean to Greece and

Italy so far this year, and 413 have lost their lives trying, the International Organisation for Migration

said on Tuesday. As of today, 102,547 people had arrived in Greece, while another 7,507 had arrived

in Italy since the beginning of the year, IOM said. Last year, the 100,000 mark was only topped during

summer, IOM spokesman Itayi Viriri told reporters. He said that out of the 413 people who had died

trying to reach Europe, 321 had perished on the route to Greece. "An estimated 35,000 migrants and

refugees have reached the Greek islands so far in February alone," he said, adding that nearly half of

them were Syrians and a quarter were from Afghanistan, while another 17 percent were from Iraq.

Once they reach Greece, almost all attempt to move on, he said, adding that "we understand that an

estimated 26,000 have already passed the Greek border with... Macedonia in February alone."

Thousands of migrants have been left stranded in Greece after Macedonia abruptly closed its border

to Afghans, creating a fresh bottleneck as European countries scrambled to respond to the continent's

refugee crisis. Some 4,000 people remained stranded on the frontier on Tuesday as even the

crossing of Syrians and Iraqis, who are allowed to pass, slowed considerably, Greek police said.

According to IOM, nearly 20,000 Afghans have arrived in Greece by sea so far this year, along with

nearly 31,000 Syrians and more than 12,000 Iraqis. UN refugee agency spokeswoman Karin de Gruijl

slammed the Macedonian move and "all of these measures aimed at keeping refugees out, (which)

are causing numerous hardships for the people arriving." "We are concerned about the profiling of

refugees at the borders," she told reporters, stressing that countries should be determining who

should be allowed in not on the basis of nationality but based on "whether they are in need of

international protection or not." The arrival last year of more than one million refugees and migrants

on Europe's shores, many fleeing war, poverty and persecution, has caused a chain reaction of

border clampdowns, in a blow to the EU's border-free Schengen zone. UNHCR meanwhile published

a survey Tuesday finding that a full 94 percent of Syrians and 71 percent of the Afghans who arrived

in Greece last month said their main reason for making the treacherous journey was to flee conflict

and violence. A full 85 per cent of the Syrians interviewed said they had been internally displaced

inside Syria before fleeing the country, the survey found. (Zee News 23/2/16)

21. 'BJP must speak up for Bangla migrants' (13)

Dibrugarh: The All Assam Bengali Youth Students' Federation (ABSYF) asked the Centre to clarify its

stand on the issue of granting citizenship to persecuted Bengali Hindu migrants. "Time and again,

BJP has promised Indian citizenship for Bangladeshi Hindu refugees staying in India. Even BJP

president Amit Shah announced in Guwahati that Hindu refugees from Bangladesh would be given

citizenship. The truth is, Bengali Hindus staying in the state are victimized as D-voters," alleged

ABSYF general secretary Nirmal Kanti Seal at the party's central executive meeting here on

Sunday.Accusing BJP of dragging its feet on the issue, the students' organization said it would launch

a statewide agitation against the party from Monday. "The notification on Hindu migrants is just

eyewash. We want BJP to make its stand clear soon. It should stop playing politics or else it will feel

the consequences in the election. We have a say in a minimum of 40 constituencies in the state,"

Seal said. On September 7, 2015, the BJP-led NDA decided to allow Bengali Hindu migrants from

Bangladesh and Pakistan who had entered the country on or before December 31, 2014, to stay

without proper documents or even after the expiry of relevant documents. Since the country's laws

allow foreign nationals to apply for citizenship after staying in the country continuously for seven

years, the notification was seen by many as a prelude to granting citizenship to Bangla migrants and

led to protests throughout the state. The All Assam Students' Union declared that anyone who had

entered the state after midnight of March 24, 1971, would have to leave irrespective of religious

affiliation. According to the Assam Accord of 1985, anyone from Bangladesh who had entered the

state after the midnight of March 24, 1971, qualified as a foreigner. (Times of India 23/2/16)

22. UN chief: Number of displaced people has never been higher (13)

Kinshasa : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the number of displaced people

around the world has never been higher and the international community needs to improve the way

humanitarian support is provided. Ban spoke after visiting a camp for internally displaced people

yesterday in Congo's eastern North Kivu province. He said more must be done to get children back to

school, to ensure the dignity and rights of women and girls and to protect them from sexual violence.

Eastern Congo is home to multiple rebel groups. Ban said the UN would work with authorities, asking

them not to close camps that are lacking resources. He travelled to Congo from Burundi earlier

yesterday and is now in the capital, Kinshasa, where he will attend a conference and meet with

President Joseph Kabila. (Business Standard 24/2/16)

23. Migrants issue to dominate Assam polls once again (13)

Guwahati: The issue of illegal migrants aka Bangladeshis is a mischievous myth or grim reality

depending on which side of the political fence one is on. It has dominated the political discourse

during every assembly election in Assam since the controversial one in 1983 during the anti-

foreigners’ agitation. Mandate 2016 is shaping up to be no different. The Bangladeshi issue this time

has a non-Muslim refugee twist; the BJP wants them, not Bengali-speaking Muslims, to stay on. The

BJP has patented this line though the Congress — chief minister Tarun Gogoi specifically — had

stolen its thunder by batting for Bengali Hindu migrants during the 2011 polls. Both parties, though,

have diluted their stand on Hindu migrants with BJP’s state unit chief Sarbananda Sonowal insisting

Assam alone would not bear the burden. Work on the National Register of Citizens, begun in 2014

with a view to distinguishing genuine Indian citizens from illegal migrants, has added a new dimension

to the Bangladeshi issue. The detection of fake papers submitted in Muslim-majority districts such as

Assam’s Barpeta has made the BJP harp on the ‘demographic invasion’ theory. “This election is a

fight between those who protect the rights of indigenous peoples and those who are for illegal

migrants,” Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Congress minister and BJP’s election panel head, said. Ally

Bodoland People’s Front is on the BJP side of the ‘Bangladeshi’ political fence, as is the Asom Gana

Parishad (AGP) though it is for weighing Muslim and Hindu migrants on the same scale. On the other

side of the fence are the allegedly pro-migrants Congress and All India United Democratic Front

(AIUDF) led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal. NGOs such as All Assam Students’ Union, which

spearheaded the anti-foreigners agitation from 1979-1985, say porosity of the international border has

aggravated the Bangladeshi problem. Whatever the argument, the issue led to the boycott of the 1983

assembly polls by most indigenous groups. The Congress that year won a record 91 seats —four

uncontested — out of 105 where elections were held. There were no candidates for the remaining 21

seats. The Bangladeshi issue bred two parties, with opposing ideologies, before the 1985 polls — the

pro-khilonjia (indigenous) AGP and the United Minorities Front that morphed into the AIUDF in 2005

after the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act of 1983 was scrapped. (Hindustan Times

3/3/16)

24. 13000 refugees at Greek border ahead of EU-Turkey summit (13)

IDOMENI (Greece): Some 13,000 refugees are crammed in unhygienic conditions on Greece's border

with Macedonia, officials said on Saturday, with all eyes on a key EU-Turkey summit on Monday that

is seen as the only viable solution to the crisis. The huge influx of refugees and migrants has caused

major tensions and divisions within the European Union, but EU President Donald Tusk on Friday

struck an upbeat note about Monday's summit in Brussels, which will include Turkey. European

leaders are expected to use the summit to press Ankara to take back more economic migrants from

Greece and reduce the flow of people across the Aegean Sea. Greece has been plunged at the heart

of Europe's greatest migration crisis in six decades after a series of border restrictions along the

migrant trail, from Austria to Macedonia has caused a bottleneck on its soil. Over 30,000 refugees

and migrants have been trapped in the country, around a third of them at Idomeni border crossing,

where aid groups report food and tent shortages. "There are 13,000 people here and nearly 20,000 in

this prefecture, over 60 percent of the country's entire refugee and migrant flow," Apostolos

Tzitzikostas, regional governor of Greece's central Macedonia prefecture, told Skai television

today.Adding to the EU tensions, Bulgaria said today it will send more than 400 troops and security

personnel to guard its border with Greece, amid fears the migrant flow along the Balkan route will pick

up with the onset of warmer weather. German Chancellor Angela Merkel - a key player in the drama -

meanwhile said Greece should have been quicker in preparing to host 50,000 people under an

agreement with the European Union in October. "Greece should have created 50,000 accommodation

places for refugees by the end of 2015," Merkel told Bild newspaper in an interview to appear

tomorrow. "This delay must be addressed as soon as possible as the Greek government must provide

decent lodgings" to asylum claimants, she said. Greece sent in the army in February to speed up the

creation of open camps for migrants and refugees but has occasionally run into opposition from local

authorities. The Doctors Without Borders charity today began erecting additional tents at Idomeni to

shelter over 1,000 people who could not fit in the camp and have been sleeping in muddy fields and

ditches, an AFP reporter said. In past days, the mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees have regularly held

protests in front of the barbed-wire fence guarded by Macedonian riot police, demanding to be

allowed through. (Times of India 5/3/16)

25. Refugee’s death triggers protest (13)

MADURAI: The suicide of a 48-year-old inmate of the Sri Lankan refugee camp in Uchapatti near

Tirumangalam here on Sunday afternoon triggered a protest by scores of refugees and others

demanding action against a retired Revenue Inspector, Duraipandian, for alleged abetment of suicide.

The inmate, S. Ravindran was electrocuted after he touched a live wire of the high-tension electric

tower he had climbed. The protestors did not allow the officials to take Ravindran’s body to the

Government hospital for post-mortem till late night. Collector Veera Raghava Rao and Superintendent

of Police Vijendra Bidari held talks with them. After the officials promised to register a case against

Duraipandian, the protestors gave up there agitation, following which the body was taken to

Tirumangalam GH for post-mortem after 10 p.m. Meanwell Duraipandian was admitted to hospital

after he was manhandled following the death of Ravindran. The police said that the father of

Ravindran, the deceased had objected to Duraipandian, who was employed on contract basis to look

after the camp after his retirement, after he marked absent for Ravindran’s son Pradeepan (14) on

Sunday. Roll call is done on the first and third Sundays of every month. Pradeepan was not found in

the camp on third Sunday of February too, the police said. However, Ravindran had claimed that his

son who was ill had been admitted to a hospital. Duraipandian said that he could give his clarification

to the Tahsildar. Meanwhile, Ravindran had climbed up a high-tension electric tower in the vicinity and

was electrocuted when he touched the live wire. He fell down on the ground from some 50-feet height

and died on the spot. Tamil National Movement leader, P. Nedumaran, and People’s Watch executive

director, Henri Tiphagne, were among those who led the protest. Usilampatti RDO M.

Balasubramaniam, who rushed to the spot, held talks with the protestors. Mr. Tiphangne complained

that it was the retired RI, who drove Ravindran to commit suicide. (The Hindu 7/3/16)

26. Harassment by govt officers drives refugees to despair (13)

Madurai: Sunday's suicide of Sri Lankan refugee S Ravindran, a father of six, brought to the fore the

helplessness and frustration that refugees in camps feel. "More than 25 years have passed since we

came here, but we are in the same state we were then," says T Vinayakamurthi from the Uchapatti

refugee camp in Madurai where Ravindran lived. The state government provides monthly doles of Rs

1,000 to each family head, Rs 750 per person above 12 years, and Rs 400 for each child. They are

also given free rice up to 20 kg, annual allowance to procure dresses from co-optex and allowance of

Rs 250 in two years to procure utensils. The catch is that the refugees should be present in the camp

for roll calls taken on the first and third Sundays of every month. The refugees, however, say the roll

calls are not always taken on Sundays, but as per the convenience of The roll call was what made

Ravindran take this drastic step, as he could not produce his sick son when it was taken. "These roll

calls restrict our movement. In spite of getting educated, we can't look for private jobs because roll

calls may be taken any day . We are constantly watched and kept on surveillance," said a youth at the

Vembakottai camp near Sivakasi. The refugees do not have valid citizenship, and Aadhar cards are

given without the citizenship clause. They cannot buy vehicles. "To put it short, we are treated like

second class citizens, oppressed by officials and NGOs. In the name of serving refugees, all that the

NGOs do is act hand in glove with officials and create a rift within the community," rues

Vinayakamurthi. When the refugees reached here they were given thatched houses. Within two

years, these houses had become dilapidated. Most of the camps lack proper drinking water or toilet

facilities. If a refugee managed to construct a house on his own, he will have to surrender it to officials

when he leaves and cannot offer it to his relatives still in the camp or sell it to inmates to repay loans

taken for the construction. Justin Soysa of Mannar, like many thousands, returned to his homeland

from here to build a future for himself after the civil war ended in 2009. "At least in camps you get

monthly assistance and can work outside to eke out a living. Such opportunities are not there back in

their homeland. Life is less challenging in refugee camps," he says. (Times of India 10/3/16)

27. Thousands flee fighting in Myanmar’s Shan State (13)

Yangon: Thousands of civilians have fled their homes in northeastern Myanmar after a recent

upswing in fighting between ethnic minority rebels and the Army, combatants and witnesses said on

Sunday. The recent flare up in Myanmar’s Shan State comes as an outgoing military-backed

government prepares to hand over power to a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s

National League for Democracy. Shan, a large and hilly province on Myanmar’s eastern border, has

hosted multiple insurgencies over the decades by ethnic minorities fighting for greater autonomy or

independence. The latest fighting has pitted the military against the Ta’ang National Liberation Army

(TNLA). “Fighting has been breaking out about four times a day and there are about 8,000 people at

the (refugee) camps,” Mai Myo Aung, from a local Ta’ang student body helping the displaced,

said.The TNLA are one of a handful of rebel groups who have yet to sign up to a broad ceasefire

agreement that the military has been pushing. Ms Suu Kyi has said that bringing peace to Myanmar’s

border areas, where a variety of ethnic minority rebels have long fought insurgencies against central

government rule, will be a priority of her new administration. Witnesses described how they had fled

Myanmar’s military. “We ran away as Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (Army) came into our village and started

shooting with heavy weapons. Some are fleeing to the forest nearby. They are still there,” Arr Hla (35)

from Mone La village told AFP on phone from a monastery where about 150 refugees are staying in

Kutkhaing township. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military released 46 child soldiers from service, state

media reported on Sunday, the latest move towards ending a scourge that has long beset the nation.

The military are committed to ending the recruitment and use of children in its “Tatmadaw” Army

following a June 2012 pact with the UN. But progress has been slow. The 46 children were handed

over to their families at a ceremony in Yangon on Saturday, the Global New Light of Myanmar

reported. (Asian Age 14/3/16)

28. Thousands flee fighting in Myanmar’s Shan State (13)

Yangon: Thousands of civilians have fled their homes in northeastern Myanmar after a recent

upswing in fighting between ethnic minority rebels and the Army, combatants and witnesses said on

Sunday. The recent flare up in Myanmar’s Shan State comes as an outgoing military-backed

government prepares to hand over power to a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s

National League for Democracy. Shan, a large and hilly province on Myanmar’s eastern border, has

hosted multiple insurgencies over the decades by ethnic minorities fighting for greater autonomy or

independence. The latest fighting has pitted the military against the Ta’ang National Liberation Army

(TNLA). “Fighting has been breaking out about four times a day and there are about 8,000 people at

the (refugee) camps,” Mai Myo Aung, from a local Ta’ang student body helping the displaced, said.

The TNLA are one of a handful of rebel groups who have yet to sign up to a broad ceasefire

agreement that the military has been pushing. Ms Suu Kyi has said that bringing peace to Myanmar’s

border areas, where a variety of ethnic minority rebels have long fought insurgencies against central

government rule, will be a priority of her new administration. Witnesses described how they had fled

Myanmar’s military. “We ran away as Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (Army) came into our village and started

shooting with heavy weapons. Some are fleeing to the forest nearby. They are still there,” Arr Hla (35)

from Mone La village told AFP on phone from a monastery where about 150 refugees are staying in

Kutkhaing township. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military released 46 child soldiers from service, state

media reported on Sunday, the latest move towards ending a scourge that has long beset the nation.

The military are committed to ending the recruitment and use of children in its “Tatmadaw” Army

following a June 2012 pact with the UN. But progress has been slow. The 46 children were handed

over to their families at a ceremony in Yangon on Saturday, the Global New Light of Myanmar

reported. (Asian Age 14/3/16)

29. ATS keeping tabs on Kashmiris in Goa: CM (13)

Panaji, March 16 : The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Goa Police has been instructed to conduct door-

to-door checks of tenements inhabited by people from Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Laxmikant

Parsekar said on Wednesday. In a written reply to Dabolim legislator Mauvin Godinho on migrants

involved in crimes, Parsekar, who also holds the home portfolio, said: "One copy of such tenant

verification form filed is forwarded to the native district superintendent of police of the tenant/migrant

for verification of criminal records/antecedents. "In addition to the above, Anti-Terrorist Squad - Goa

also does door-to-door checking of migrants and J and K individuals." Apart from the ATS, Parsekar

also said beat staff of police stations "regularly visits their respective jurisdiction and ensures that the

details of the migrants or tenants are filled in 'tenant verification forms' and submitted to the police

station by the owner or tenant".Asked if there were measures being taken by the state government to

stop immigration in order to curb crime, Parsekar said: "No. Migration is a universal process." (New

Indian Express 16/3/16)

30. Sri Lankan refugees baffled over NGO questionnaire (13)

CHENNAI: In a discreet move, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu have been served a

questionnaire that seeks to know their antecedents, passport details and future plans. An NGO is

believed to be involved in the survey though refugees apprehend that some other external agency

might have initiated the process. According to a couple of refugees, the three-page questionnaire was

delivered at their doorstep with an instruction that it be filled and returned on the spot. Volunteers

engaged in the work reportedly claimed that the State police were aware of the exercise and even

supported them. Several thousands of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are settled inside and outside

camps in Tamil Nadu. A sizable number of them are believed to be living without registering with the

competent authority and their existence in Tamil Nadu is not on record anywhere. The issue of

repatriating refugees came into focus after the ethnic war ended in Sri Lanka and a new government

came to power there, police sources said. “The refugees fear that there is a move to forcibly repatriate

them. Attempts to migrate to countries like Canada, Australia and some European countries have of

late become difficult. Their future in Tamil Nadu is bleak as they have no work permit and live on with

the paltry dole,” V. Suresh, national general secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL),

said. Many countries refuse to give visa to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu thinking that

India has already granted them asylum status here. “But the fact remains that the Government of

India has only allowed them to stay here, nothing else. They have not been given a chance to lawfully

work live with dignity. Many refugees are exploited and engaged as cheap labour,” Mr. Suresh said.

After the devastating floods swept Chennai and its adjoining districts, the same NGO representatives

visited Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and offered to help. “They gave us forms to fill up details of our

address, contact numbers, loss of property in floods etc…but no relief came to us later. Perhaps they

used that data to reach us now with these forms,” a refugee told The Hindu on Thursday. One of the

questions in the form sought to know whether the refugees had an Aadhar Card. There is another

pointed question which asks the refugees whether they wanted to remain in India, go back home (Sri

Lanka) or migrate to some other country. When contacted, senior police officials in the State said they

were not aware of such a survey being conducted. No such activity was brought to the notice of the

police. “There is no question of the police permitting any agency to meet and gather sensitive

information from Sri Lankan Tamil refugees,” a police official said. (The Hindu 18/3/16)

31. Refugee’s family on fast (13)

CHENNAI: A family of three refugees, including a child, is on an indefinite fast seeking release amidst

fear of getting deported to Sri Lanka. Dayanraj (35) lodged in the Special Refugees Camp at

Tiruchi,his wife Udayakala (32) and daughter Dhilsiya (4) housed in Mandapam refugees camp are on

fast since Thursday. The family is demanding the release of Dayanraj, who has been in the special

camp for about a year, police sources said on Sunday.According to a senior police official, Dayanraj is

likely to be deported to Sri Lanka where he is wanted in a few criminal cases. “If released from the

special camp, he is likely to escape from the purview of law-enforcing agencies,” he said, parrying

questions on whether Dayanraj was a former cadre of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

(LTTE). It is believed that as many as one lakh Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are living in camps or

outside in the State. At least 19 refugees are lodged in the special camp at Tiruchi charges of specific

offences. Besides, a large number of refugees who managed to reach Tamil Nadu through various

means are living in various locations without registering with the competent authority. They constantly

make attempts, along with registered refugees, to reach countries like Australia, France, Canada and

Switzerland, the sources added. Refuting allegations of some rights organisations that refugees were

detained in special camps on fake cases only to sustain the operations of the ‘Q’ Branch CID of the

Tamil Nadu police, the official said all special camps were closed, except the one in Tiruchi. (The

Hindu 21/3/16)

32. Sri Lankan Tamil refugee’s family released (13)

CHENNAI: In a late-evening development on Tuesday, the State government ordered the release of

Sri Lankan Tamil refugee K. Dhayabararaj’s family from the special quarantine detention camp at

Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district. As the indefinite fast of the family demanding release

entered the sixth day, the authorities released Udayakala and her three children amid allegations that

their detention was unlawful, police sources said. Mr. Dhayabararaj, who is held at the Tiruchi special

camp, had alleged that his family was being illegally detained in the special quarantine camp that

lacked basic amenities. He claimed that the health condition of his wife who required an emergency

surgery was declining. Since no dole (financial aid of Rs. 100 per day) was paid, his family had to

starve for several days. On Thursday, they decided to launch a fast-unto-death agitation demanding

justice. “On release, a local church pastor agreed to give them food and shelter. My wife is in a state

of shock…she was under treatment for depression for sometime. The authorities have to explain why

my family was detained in the quarantine camp for so long without any assistance,” Mr. Dhayabararaj

told The Hindu on Tuesday. He said the family was arrested on arrival by boat in 2014. After being

convicted in the Passport Act case, the family served a one year sentence. “We were detained again

in special camps. I was separated from my wife and children and lodged at the Tiruchi special camp.

There is no case against us. In the last six months, I sent several petitions to the Home Secretary

seeking my release but there was no response,” he said. Police sources maintained that the process

was on to repatriate Dhayabararaj and his family to Sri Lanka. “We have information that he is

involved in a financial fraud case in Sri Lanka. During the process of repatriation, it is required to keep

him custody. There is a possibility that he might abscond if released,” a senior police official said on

condition of anonymity. People’s Union for Civil Liberties national general secretary V. Suresh said

the Tamil Nadu government should respond with a humanitarian gesture and release Dhayabararaj

from the special camp. “Instead of sticking to technicalities, they must release him. His wife and

children need him as much as he needs them for their collective well being,” he said. In a related

development, at least 90 cadres of the Makkal Nala Kootani staged a demonstrated in front of the

Tiruchi camp demanding its closure. They were arrested and released in the evening. (The Hindu

23/3/16)

33. Pope slams 'rejection' of migrants, refugees in Easter message (13)

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday spoke out against the "rejection" of migrants and refugees

during his Easter message as Europe struggles with its biggest migration crisis since World War

II."The Easter message of the risen Christ... invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a

better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees... fleeing from war, hunger,

poverty and social injustice. "All too often, these brothers and sisters of ours meet along the way with

death or, in any event, rejection by those who could offer them welcome and assistance." The pontiff

referred to Syria's "lengthy conflict, with its sad wake of destruction, death, contempt for humanitarian

law", stressing his hope for peace talks set to resume next month between the government and

opposition forces. "Good will and the cooperation of all will bear fruit in peace and initiate the building

of a fraternal society," he said to the crowds gathered below the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica.

(Times of India 27/3/16)

34. UN chief visits Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, meets Middle Eastern leaders in capital (13)

New York, Mar 28 : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his trip to the Middle

East on Sunday with a visit to Jordan alongside World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, where they met

with refugees from the Zaatari camp, as well as with senior government officials from Palestine,

Turkey and Jordan, including King Abdullah II. I was here at the beginning of the establishment of

Zaatari camp and I saw a lot of difference: first of all, much more people, unfortunately, are there

without being able to return, Ban told reporters at a press conference about his second visit to the

camp since it opened in 2012. I saw lots of activities, signs of life. I could find everything which you

may have in the centre of Amman city. Even a theatre was there, not to mention shopping centres

and restaurants and sports centres. However nice all those facilities may be, it is not the same as

what they could enjoy home in Syria, he added. The Secretary-Generals activities also included an

open dialogue with youth in the capital, Amman, at the University of Jordan. He said thanks to its

strong institutions, he is confident the country will continue to play a principled role in the region and

the world. Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of on Sunday. And

you are part of the biggest generation of young people in history, he told them. In meetings earlier on

Sunday, Ban expressed his appreciation to Jordan for hosting Syrian refugees, and applauded the

increased support by the international community to the countries most impacted by the Syrian crisis.

An international conference was recently convened in London by the UN, the United Kingdom,

Germany, Norway and Kuwait, where $5.5 billion in funding was mobilized for this year. Ban said it

was the most successful one but believes the global community needs to do much more. That is why

we are going to convene this World Humanitarian Summit, which will be the first-ever in the history of

the United Nations, to discuss and to bring out some predictable sustainable framework to provide

humanitarian assistance to more than 120 million people around the world, including Syrian refugees,

including many helpless, defenseless people around the world, he underlined, referring to the

upcoming meeting on 23 and 24 May in Istanbul. In addition, he commended the Jordanian

Government for launching the Jordan 2025 development strategy, based on the 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development. The Secretary-General and King Abdullah II also discussed the Middle

East Peace Process, stressing the importance of a return to negotiations for a two-State solution. The

Secretary-General thanked Jordan for its important role as custodian of the Jerusalem holy sites, the

readout further indicated. Meanwhile, in a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the

UN chief reiterated his deep concern over the ongoing violence and the need for both sides to diffuse

tensions. The Secretary-General further underscored the need for making progress on Palestinian

unity and for greater leadership on the Gaza reconstruction. They also discussed the Middle East

Peace Process, including the role of the Quartet, said the readout. Later with Turkish Prime Minister

Ahmet Davutoglu, the UN chief commended Turkey for hosting Syrian refugees and took note of its

recent framework agreement with the European Union in this regard. (New Kerala 28/3/16)

35. Citizenship promise raises stakes in Barak Valley (13)

Silchar: The Modi government's plan to grant citizenship to refugees belonging to Hindu and other

minority communities who came to India from Bangladesh due to religious persecution has a lot to do

with its stakes in the election, especially in the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley of Assam. The Barak

Valley will vote on April 4 in the first phase along with other constituencies in upper Assam and the

hills. The valley along the India-Bangladesh border has 15 assembly constituencies with more

Muslims than Hindus. Bengali-speaking people, whether Hindus or Muslims, often face questions

about their nationality in the state, which saw a massive six-year-long anti-foreigner agitation in the

'70s and '80s. The people here are, however, unhappy with the central government's delay in fulfilling

its promises. An official notification, issued by the Union home ministry on September 7 last year, had

said the central government had decided to exempt Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals, belonging to

minority communities, from relevant provisions under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and the

Foreigners Act, 1946 on humanitarian grounds. The exemption would apply to those who entered

India on or before December 31, 2014 and either do not have relevant documents or have documents

that have expired. The central government, accordingly, issued two notifications in the official gazette

under the two acts. However, several people here alleged that this failed to curb the harassment of

Bengali-speaking people by the police. It just continues under a different, convenient name. "People

are being harassed in the name of detection and identification of foreigners," said Sadhan

Purkayasthya, a social worker. "More than 150 citizens have been languishing in the detention camp

at Silchar," he added. Many NGOs here, including Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti

Sammelan, expressed their dissatisfaction with the delay in granting citizenship to displaced Bengalis

despite publication of the gazette notification. The NGO has urged the Prime Minister to introduce a

comprehensive bill in the parliament to mitigate the 'ongoing offensive on the Bengalis and other non-

Assamese people living in Assam'. The political blame game is on, however. BJP national general

secretary (organization) Ram Madhav at a programme in Silchar on Thursday said the Congress has

hindered the amendment of the act in the house. The Congress rejected the charge and blamed BJP

for the delay. At an election rally in Silchar, chief minister Tarun Gogoi alleged that AGP and BJP are

both anti-Bengali. He said the BJP state president, Sarbananda Sonowal, was responsible for

scrapping the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983, an act which helped Indian

Bengalis protect themselves in the period when 'detection of foreigners' had come into focus earlier.

(Times of India 3/4/16)

36. Over 172,000 migrants reach EU in 2016 (13)

Geneva, April 5 : The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday said 172,089

refugees and migrants have reached Europe by sea since the beginning of 2016 while 714 individuals

have died attempting to do so. Figures show that 152,137 of these entries have been recorded in

Greece, Xinhua news agency reported. Almost 50 percent of those reaching the country this year are

from Syria, while around 25 percent are Afghans. The remaining arrivals have been recorded in Italy

(19,287), Spain (638), and Cyprus (27). While 366 refugees have lost their lives attempting to cross

the eastern Mediterranean route separating Turkey and Greece, IOM indicated in a statement that

there have been "no deaths on the Eastern Mediterranean since the start of implementation last week

of a new migrant agreement between Turkey and the European Union that allows for repatriation of

those arriving on the Greek islands." In compliance with the new agreement, 202 people were

repatriated to Turkey on March 4, two of which were Syrians who volunteered to be sent back. Further

death toll figures show that the central Mediterranean route linking North Africa with Italy has claimed

the lives of 343 migrants this year while five people perished on the western Mediterranean and

Western African routes. (New Kerala 5/4/16)

37. Soon, Pakistan Refugees Can Purchase Homes, Drive (13)

NEW DELHI: The Modi government has decided to issue driving licenses and Aadhar cards to

Hindus and other minorities from Pakistan, who escaped persecution and took refuge in India. Soon,

the refugees would be able to purchase houses and apply for PAN cards. Prime Minister Narendra

Modi during his poll campaign in April 2014 had promised equal rights to Pakistani minority refugees,

mostly Hindus, in India. He had said, “Those refugees from Pakistan who come here only for saying

Bharat Mata ki Jai ... nobody cares about them.” He had promised that if BJP was voted to power

Pakistani Hindu refugees would be treated like other Indian citizens. Since assuming power, the NDA

government has initiated a slew of measures including amending rules to extend citizenship and

facilitating Long Term Visa (LTV) for the aggrieved community. (New Indian Expres 7/4/16)

38. Mixed feeling among refugee returnees (13)

Vavuniya/Jaffna: Nirmala Devi, a mother of two growing children, is happy that she is back in

Vavuniya, her husband’s place, after having lived in Tamil Nadu as a refugee for 23 years. She

returned to Sri Lanka in 2013 along with her husband and the children. “We wanted to raise our

children in the right way” is her answer why she and her husband decided to come back. “And, that’s

not possible in a camp for refugees,” she says nonchalantly. Her parents and younger sister are still in

camps of Karur and Coimbatore. “I won’t compel them to return. The decision should be theirs,” she

points out. Angamuthu Vanniyamoorthy, a 61-year-old farmer of Nagal Iluppaikulam of the Vavuniya

district, has been able to rehabilitate himself swiftly on his return since 2012 even though he was

away for 22 years. Thanks to the help from OfERR (Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation)

and others, his daughter, who was born in Tamil Nadu when he and his family were in a Krishnagiri

camp, has been given the citizenship of Sri Lanka. “Before returning to Sri Lanka, one has to ensure

that one has all the important documents including birth certificates. There shouldn’t be any difficulty

in getting citizenship here for one’s children,” he says, adding that not many follow this and complain

later. But, Sivaguru Premachandran, a tailor by profession, who came back to Jaffna four years ago

after 17 years, is not on the side of Nirmala Devis and Vanniyamoorthys. Repenting his decision, he

wonders: “Why one should return? For everything from entertainment to education to health care to

art and culture, we, in the Northern Province, invariably look to Tamil Nadu,” he says. He took the

decision to return only after finding out from his relatives and friends about the situation. Like many

others, he wanted to shed the tag of “refugee” and lead the rest of his life with honour and dignity.

However, he admits that he and his wife have not been able to adapt themselves to the Jaffna

environment after a prolonged displacement. Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran

says many refugee-returnees are “disillusioned.” He also contends that in respect of refugees living in

Tamil Nadu who hail from Mullativu and Vavuniya, despite them holding land ownership documents,

permits have been cancelled and Sinhalese have been settled there. This has to be reversed to

enable voluntary repatriation of such refugees. (The Hindu 9/4/16)

39. BHRC seeks ATR from Purnia DM (13)

Patna: Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) on Monday directed Purnia district magistrate to

depute a nodal ADM/additional collector to appear before the commission on May 19 with an action

taken report (ATR) in connection with denial of benefits to a refugee from Bangladesh.One

Radhavallabh Pal of Banmankhi ward number 16 in Purnia district lodged a complaint with the BHRC

that neither the state government nor the central government provided him land for settlement and

other benefits despite repeated requests. The application says that Pal, a refugee from Bangladesh,

had migrated to India in 1951 from his native village Bhingulia under Chandpur police station area in

Tripura district of Bangladesh (erstwhile Pakistan). He also holds a refugee registration card (No

17/51 dated March 8, 1951) issued by the Bihar government. "Purnia district magistrate has failed to

respond to the BHRC notice on Pal's plea as well as consecutive four reminders for the same," BHRC

member Neelmani said and directed the Purnia DM to take necessary action and Purnia divisional

commissioner for information. (Times of India 11/4/16)

40. A tribute to the revival of Tibetan civilisation (13)

NEW DELHI: A handful of Tibetan refugees followed their deposed ruler, the Dalai Lama, to India in

1959 with nothing in their hands. Decades later, this nation has emerged as the largest reservoir of

the authentic Tibetan culture. A photo festival here presents their success story. The largest ever

photo—exhibition on the Dalai Lama and Tibetan civilisation — “Thank you Dalai Lama” by

photographer Vijay Kranti is running at All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society (AIFACS) till April 15. “This

photo—festival is an artistic tribute to the success story of a peaceful and brave refugee community,

its monk leader the Dalai Lama and their magnanimous hosts — the people and the government of

India”, said Vijay Kranti, a senior Indian journalist, an accomplished photographer and an acclaimed

Tibetologist. “On behalf of Indian citizens, I acknowledge HH Dalai Lama and Tibetan refugee

community for making a creative use of Indian hospitality,” he said.— IANS (The Hindu 14/4/16)

41. Pope brings 12 refugees to Rome (13)

ROME: Declaring “we are all migrants”, Pope Francis visited the Greek island of Lesbos on Saturday

with a message of hope for those seeking asylum in Europe and a stinging rebuke for those who

closed their hearts to the desperate. His one-day trip to Europe’s migration hotspot culminated

dramatically when three Syrian refugee families, all Muslim, returned with the pontiff to Rome, where

they will be housed by the Vatican. The Pope told reporters that his gesture was “a drop in the ocean”

but hoped that afterwards, “the ocean will never be the same again”. “All refugees are children of

God,” he said aboard the papal plane on its flight back to Rome. The departure of the 12 refugees

was the climax of an emotional visit that saw migrants kneeling in tears before the 79-year-old Roman

Catholic leader. “You are not alone... do not lose hope,” the Pope, who was accompanied by

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos, the head of the Church of Greece,

said at the Moria registration centre, where around 3,000 migrants are being held. The vast majority

have requested asylum but will likely be deported under a controversial agreement reached last

month to tackle Europe’s refugee crisis by sending all irregular migrants who land in Greece back to

Turkey. As the Pope was escorted through Moria to meet a select number of migrants, one man

broke into tears as he knelt at the pontiff’s feet, requesting his blessing. Another woman who slipped

past security to approach the pontiff also broke down in tears as he paused to listen to her. A group of

small children presented the Pope with a dozen drawings. Lesbos is one of the first ports of call in the

EU for the hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers who have fled war, poverty and persecution in

the Middle East and Asia across the Aegean Sea via nearby Turkey in the past year. The religious

leaders said a prayer at Lesbos harbour in memory of the hundreds of migrants who have drowned

during the voyage in overcrowded smuggler boats. “Merciful God... though many of their graves bear

no name, to you each one is known, loved and cherished,” the Pope said. Earlier they signed a

declaration calling on the international community to “respond with courage” to the humanitarian crisis

and calling on religious communities to step up efforts to assist refugees. — AFP (The Hindu 17/4/16)

42. Bihar to set up cell for linguistic minorities (13)

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said his government would soon set up an

exclusive cell within the minorities' welfare department to hear the grievances of linguistic minorities

like Bengalees and others. The new cell will be known as 'Linguistic Minorities Grievances Cell'.

Speaking as chief guest at the platinum jubilee celebration of the Bengalee Association, Bihar,

organized at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies here, CM also announced that the children of

linguistic minorities who would pass matric examination with the first division would also get a stipend

of Rs 10,000 just like the children of religious minorities. He also assured all possible help from the

state government to the members of Bengalee community residing across the state. Responding to a

demand raised by the Bengalee Association's president Dr Dilip Kumar Sinha, CM said he would

soon hold a meeting with official to explore what he could do for the welfare of the East Bengal's

refugees who were officially settled in different districts of Bihar. CM recalled that he had in 2009 held

a meeting with officials on the issues being faced by such refugees. Some problems were solved at

that time. Earlier Dr Sinha, in his address, said that around 4 lakh Bangla speaking refugees have

been permanently settled by the central government in different districts of Bihar especially West

Champaran. But they are still facing different sorts of problems like issuance of caste certificate and

registration of land in their name. "The Centre had earlier ordered to give 'raiyati' claim of refugees on

the lands officially allotted to them. But it has not been done so far. Hence, the refugee family cannot

sell their land even in dire situation, Dr Sinha pointed out. He also raised the issue of non-

appointment of sufficient number of Bangla teachers in the state government's schools. CM said, had

Dr Sinha submitted a copy of his demands earlier, he would have come to the programme with some

decisions. "Since the issues are being raised here when I am on dais, it is difficult for me to give any

decision on the demands. The matter of appointment of Bangla teachers are being looked into by the

education department. As far other demands are concerned, I request Dr Sinha to come to my office

and I will call a meeting with the officials over the problems of members of the association," CM said.

He also called upon the Association members to support the state government's move of total

prohibition. Addressing the function, ADRI's member-secretary Shaibal Gupta lauded Nitish Kumar for

taking bold decision like prohibition. "Total prohibition is a courageous resolve of Nitish Ji," Gupta said

and added the CM had always been working for development of different linguistic and religious

minorities in the state. (Times of India 18/4/16)

43. Modi govt to allow Pakistani Hindus to buy property, open bank accounts in India (13)

New Delhi: There are around 400 Pakistani Hindu refugee settlements in cities like Jodhpur,

Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Raipur, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Kutch, Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Delhi

and Lucknow. "The central government has been constantly reviewing the hardships being faced by

the minority communities in Pakistan staying in India on LTV. To ease some of their difficulties, it is

proposed to provide the facilities," a notification issued by the Home Ministry says, as per PTI. The

facilities include permitting opening of bank accounts without prior approval of the Reserve Bank of

India subject to certain conditions, permission for purchase of dwelling unit for self-occupation and

suitable accommodation for carrying out self-employment without prior approval of RBI subject to

fulfilment of certain conditions. Issue of driving licence, PAN and Aadhaar cards, permission to take

up self-employment or for doing business which is considered safe from security point of view,

dispensing with the requirement of personal appearance before the Foreigners Registration Officer for

registration are a few other facilities being planned. Allowing free movement within the State/ UT

where they are staying instead of restricting their movement within the place of stay, allowing free

movement to those living in the National Capital Region (NCR), simplifying the procedure for visit to a

place in any other State/ UT are being proposed. Permission for transfer of LTV papers from one

State/ UT to another State/ UT, waiver of penalty on non-extension of short term visa/ LTV on time,

permission to apply for LTV at the place of present residence in cases where the applicants have

moved to the present place of residence without prior permission are some of the other highlights.

(Zee News 18/4/16)

44. 'Allow all collectors to give citizenship to Pak Hindus' (13)

Jaipur: Advocacy groups working for the cause of Pakistani refugees in India have asked the Union

government to empower district collectors of all districts in Rajasthan for awarding citizenship to

refugees. The demand came after Indian government's proposal for granting citizenship to Pakistani

Hindus and other religious minorities living in 18 districts in the country including Jaipur, Jodhpur and

Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Seemant Lok Sangathan, a body based in Jodhpur, has shot a letter to the

ministry of external affairs requesting that at least in Rajasthan, which has the highest number of

Pakistani refugees, estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000 spread across districts, powers

should be given to all the collectors. Else many refugees will suffer. They contended that a new

proposal can end the sufferings of the persecuted Pakistani Hindus living as refugees in their

ancestral land to an extent. However, they cannot integrate properly till institutional changes are made

in the Citizenship Act 1955, and a robust policy put in place for their rehabilitation. It requires joint

effort by both the state and the Union government. "The Citizenship Act 1955 says that a citizenship

should be granted to a refugee staying minimum of seven years here. It should be made least

possible stay. It is seen that in a period of seven years they get subjected to inhuman treatment with

no jobs, education, access to medical care and harassment at the hand of the police," said Hindu

Singh Soda of Lok Sangathan. Another major demand the body is pressing for is a small change in

the Citizenship Act 1955, which can bring more Hindus or minorities into the fold of their ancestral

land. The Act guarantees to register Pakistani Hindus who are either born in undivided India or are

wards of such parents."This section becomes outdated for the present generation of Pakistani Hindus

as they are third generation. It denies the present Pakistani Hindus the right of easy citizenship in

India. Our demand is to allow every citizen whose ancestors were from India," said Singh. Thus many

such Pak Hindu migrants acquire citizenship after spending 7-14 years of stay in India. (Times of

India 21/4/16)

45. 91 year old Partition refugee struggles for visa to see birthplace in Pak (13)

Meerut: In 1947, Krishna Khanna, then a young man, left his ancestral village near Gujranwala (now

in Pakistan) and opted for India. He built a life for himself in Meerut, where he set up a small sports

goods manufacturing business. Now 91 years old, the Gandhian environmental activist wants to visit

the place of his childhood one last time to relive the bygone moments of his life. The process to get a

visa for Pakistan, however, has been a harrowing ordeal for the nonagenarian. One of the rules that

Khanna finds most difficult to fulfill is finding a sponsor from that country. "I first visited the Pakistan

High Commission in August 2015 but the clerks there did not entertain my application because I did

not have a sponsor. I tried at least twice after that but was rejected for the same reason," Khanna told

TOI. Though it has been 69 years since he left Gujranwala, Khanna vividly remembers his roots. "I

was born in Udhoke village in 1925 and studied at Government High School in Sheikhupura district.

We used to deal in wholesale rice at the biggest market in Gujranwala." He also remembers the

violence during Partition. His family hid with others at a gurdwara from where they were rescued and

brought to Amritsar. On Monday, Khanna with the help of Ganga Biradari, an NGO that is pursuing his

case, met Gen (retd) VK Singh, minister of state for external affairs, who assured him of all possible

help from his ministry. "We will certainly touch base with the Pakistan High Commission and will try to

find a way out, considering all provisions of bilateral treaties between the two nations," Singh said. On

Monday, Khanna also re-visited the Pakistan High Commission and submitted a memorandum in this

regard. Khanna's experience made him realise that there were several others who did not have the

means to travel to their birthplaces. He is now campaigning for easier visa regulations for senior

citizens on both sides of the border who were refugees and want to revisit their childhood homes. His

supporters in Meerut have set up a citizens' committee that will campaign for visa reforms for Partition

refugees. "He has an undying desire to visit his birthplace. When he left with his family during

Partition, he had no idea that a day would come when returning there would be such a difficult

exercise," said Maj (retd) Himanshu Kumar, director, Ganga Biradari. The Pakistan High Commission

responded warmly when TOI contacted it regarding the matter. "I came to know of the delegation's

visit today. I have spoken to the visa officer about the case. Khanna is our elder and we will be

honoured to help him with his visa within the framework of the rules. I will personally receive him

when he comes here the next time," said Manzoor Ali Mamon, press minister, Pakistan High

Commission. (Times of India 25/4/16)

46. Mixed reaction to dual citizenship promise (13)

COLOMBO: Stakeholders point out the complex nature of the Sri Lankan refugee issue and call for a

multi-pronged approach The announcement by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that her party

would press the Centre to provide dual citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils in the State has evoked

mixed reactions from different quarters. Says Arulappu Rameshkumar, a refugee-returnee living in

Keerimalai of Jaffna, “Many of the camp refugees were born and brought up there. They have also

got married there. As they are not Indian citizens, they are finding it extremely difficult to get ahead in

their career. Ms. Jayalalithaa’s promise, if implemented, will make a huge difference.” Ms.

Rameshkumar chose to leave Tamil Nadu’s Mandapam camp for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees six

months ago as she did not want to lead that kind of life any longer. She is running a small shop to eke

out a living for herself and her two sons. V. Jayakumar, consultant to Catholic Relief Services (CRS),

says if dual citizenship is provided, the refugees will no longer be monitored by the police. To buy

land, they will no longer have to get the approval of the Reserve Bank of India. Some refugees,

having been in Tamil Nadu for over 20 years, are resourceful enough to acquire immovable assets. V.

Niranjan, founder of the Jaffna Managers’ Forum, says dual citizenship would make it easier for the

refugee community to pursue education in Tamil Nadu, an educational hub, or anywhere else in India.

Besides, the Tamil diaspora, living in the West, could easily enter into matrimonial alliances with the

refugee community. There are other views too. Harim Peiris, chairman of the Resettlement Authority,

feels that a refugee boy, marrying a local Indian girl, struggles hard to acquire citizenship. Such cases

can be handled initially. For providing Indian citizenship to refugee-local couples, Mr. Jayakumar

points out that the Union government has to remove one of the stipulations in the Citizenship Act that

either of the parents of the applicant should not be an illegal migrant at the time of his or her birth.

This holds relevance as all refugees are now considered illegal migrants. While underscoring that the

refugees should return to Sri Lanka on a permanent basis, M.A. Sumanthiran, Tamil National Alliance

(TNA) spokesperson, however, says the decision to come back should be left to them. K.

Vigneswaran, chairman of the Akhila Ilankai Tamil Mahasabha, cites the declining number of

Members of Parliament from Jaffna due to the demographic changes and argues that if the refugees

return to the North, the number of Members of Parliament will go up. S.C. Chandrahasan, founder,

OfFER (Organisation for Eelam Refugees’ Rehabilitation), is keen that stateless refugees in Tamil

Nadu should get Sri Lankan citizenship first. “Let the Tamil Nadu government revive, at the earliest,

the practice of holding mobile camps to issue consular birth certificates to such persons. About

14,000 boys and girls are in need of the documents.” Calling Ms. Jayalalithaa’s statement “an election

stunt,” S. Sandarasegaram, former professor of education, sees no reason for the Indian government

to offer dual citizenship to Sri Lankan citizens or those whose roots are in Sri Lanka. (The Hindu

27/4/16)