New Delhi Becomes Unsafe For Burmese Refugees

By Nava Thakuria

New Delhi, Apr 27 : The Indian capital city has increasingly become an unsafe place for the Burmese refugees. In the recent past, three incidences of attack on Burmese were reported. As the victims are identified as Chin, a major community of Burma, the Chin Refugee Committee has taken the pain to lodge FIR in the local police station.

The last attack by miscreants on Chin people took place on April 23, when Fung Ling was targeted on his way to residence at around 6.30 in the evening at Uttam Nagar of Delhi. Mr Ling, 37, is a recognized refugee (UNHCR No.08IND01388) in India and he was challenged by two youths on motorbike.

Mr Ling replied that he could not follow Hindi language. Meanwhile, a fellow Chin (Burmese) refugee, Than Sang approached and tied to intervene that Ling did not understand Hindi. But Than Sang (UNHCR No.08IND01410) received a slap from one of the two bikers.

The situation turned worse, as the youths started beating both the refuges. Ling was hit by a brick on his head and he got fainted. Then arrived another refugee Van Lal Lian (UNHCR No.08C00279) and more other people at the location and it was finally over.

“We have lodged an FIR (MLC. 7715) at Bindapur police station, Uttam Nagar regarding the assault to Fung Ling and other,” informed Ro Mawi, president of Chin Refugee Committee, India. Speaking to this writer from New Delhi, he however expressed dissatisfaction that the doctors examining the victims had reported only simple injuries to them.

Mentionable that Fung Ling and his family (wife and five minor children) arrived in New Delhi in 1998. They are now working as daily wage earner to earn at the most Rs. 2,000 per month.

Similarly, Than Sang and Van Lal Lian with their families also arrived in New Delhi in the same year.

Earlier another assault case was reported from Sitapuri in the same locality where another Chin refugee, Zo Ram Thang (BU-491) was targeted by the unidentified miscreants on April 21. Zo Ram Thang and his family arrived in New Delhi in 1999 and they are surviving with a very few amount of money earned as private factory workers.

[ via Narinjara ]