Christian Persecution in Myanmar: Refugees Forced Into Sea

NEW DELHI – An estimated 15 Christians were among at least 40 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar (Burma) detained in New Delhi that the Indian navy on May 8 threw into the sea, according to United Nations officials and refugee family members who spoke to international media.

The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from UN human rights experts, who called the actions "unconscionable, unacceptable acts" and launched an official inquiry into the treatment of the vulnerable refugee population.

Survivors Swim to Safety After Forced Deportation

The Indian authorities provided the refugees, which included the elderly, children and women, with life jackets before casting them into the sea near India's maritime border with Myanmar, according to UN sources and refugee relatives.

The refugees swam to Myanmar island shores, but the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights said their whereabouts in the embattled country were unknown.

Family Members Recount Harrowing Ordeal

The refugee, unidentified for security reasons, said he received a call from his brother on May 8 after the cast-off swam to a Myanmar island and borrowed a phone from a local fisherman.

Another refugee forced into the sea called his brother in New Delhi, telling him that Indian navy personnel had beaten some of the Rohingya refugees in the group.

The refugees were reportedly detained under the pretense of collecting biometric data before being flown to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and transferred to a naval vessel.

Christians Face Double Persecution

The presence of Christians among the Rohingya refugees highlights the complex layers of persecution facing religious minorities in Myanmar. Predominantly Muslim, ethnic Rohingya have long been persecuted in both Myanmar and India, as have those who have converted to Christianity.

U.N. investigations have found evidence of increasing incitement of hatred and religious intolerance by ultra-nationalist Buddhists against Rohingyas, and Myanmar security forces have subjected them to summary executions, disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and ill-treatment and forced labor against the community.

Myanmar's Ongoing Religious Persecution

Christians in Myanmar continue to face systematic persecution, particularly since the military coup in 2021. Since the military coup in Burma (Myanmar) four years ago, we have witnessed a systematic campaign of religious persecution, particularly targeting the Christian population in Chin State, according to human rights advocates.

These actions include the destruction of churches, the unlawful killing and enforced disappearance of pastors, the arrest of religious leaders, and severe restrictions on free worship and assembly.

International Response and Legal Action

Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar condemned India's actions, stating: "The idea that Rohingya refugees have been cast into the sea from naval vessels is nothing short of outrageous. I am seeking further information and testimony regarding these developments and implore the Indian government to provide a full accounting of what happened".

The news service quoted a lawyer for the refugees, Dilawar Hussain, as saying the families have filed a petition in India's top court urging the government to arrange for their return to New Delhi.

Regional Crisis Deepens

Before the Rohingya genocide in 2017 that led to more than 740,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, their population in Myanmar was estimated at 1.4 million. There are an estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees in India who have fled persecution in Myanmar.

Rohingya refugees in India face persecution and attacks from Hindu nationalist groups, creating additional layers of vulnerability for this stateless population.

Government Response

India's navy and foreign ministry declined to comment on the allegations, according to multiple news reports. Myanmar regards the Rohingya as migrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship, but the Rohingya maintain they are indigenous to western Myanmar.

The incident underscores the desperate situation facing religious minorities fleeing Myanmar's military regime, where Christians and other minorities continue to face severe persecution with limited international protection.