Rhongiyas plight in Myanmar and Bangladesh relief camps draw general human empathy. India the worst victim of terrorism unleashed by neighbouring Pakistan sharing common religion with Rhongiyas cannot allow hostile neighbour to inject life into lost proxy war by exploiting needy, hard pressed illegally entering Rhongiyas. Learning from Kashmir militancy the critical need is to strengthen India Myanmar border, the source of influx.
Referring to centre’s direction to states including Jammu and Kasjhmir to enforce interstate border surveillance to check fresh influx of Rhongiyas, S.S. Bijral former IGP and BJP state spokesperson said their influx can meaningfully only be checked at the border they infiltrate from. Once inside, and spreading out no amount of surveillance can be purposeful. North Eastern states sharing common border with Myanmar and Bangladesh form their infiltration launching pad. He said border management malpractices and porous border facilitate their illegal migration as happened in Jammu and Kashmir hugely exploited by Pakistan unleashing three decades of devastating terrorism.
Rhongiyas, denied citizenship in Myanmar, most exploiatable being poor, displaced sharing common religion with Pakistan nurturing state policy of bleeding India through thousand cuts, Bijral said can only be prevented and contained by denying them entry at the point of origin- the border. Interstate border surveillance would be good enough for words and for their further exploitation by professional human traffickers. For their own palm greasing.
Basically Bangladeshis, Rhongiyas were settled in erstwhile Burma by Britishers. They migrated illegally during 1971 Bangladesh war and thereafter. Without enjoying Myanmar citizenship, they form majority in Northern Rikhane state with Buddhists in majority in South. Buddhists, the natives, are genuinely at ease fearing they would soon be in minority in their own state with Rhongiya Muslims enjoying population explosion, without being citizen. Ethnic violence triggered over alleged rape and murder of a Buddhist girl led to waves of murder and arson forcing Rhongiyas to escape by all means possible as army exercised emergency powers. Indian govt has done well convincing Myanmar to take Rhongiyas back.
