Indian NHRC Asks Myanmar Counterpart to Take up Persecution Issue

Originally appeared in Press Trust of India

May 25, 2012

The NHRC has asked its Myanmar counterpart to take up with their government the issue of migration from their country to India due to reported fear of systematic persecution at the hands of the ruling junta.

NHRC’s concerns about the issue were flagged during a meeting yesterday with a visiting delegation of Myanmar National Human Rights Commission led by its Chairman Win Mra.

Commission Chairperson Justice KG Balakrishnan and members interacted with the visiting delegates.

Win assured NHRC that he would take up the matter with his government for consideration of action on the issue.

It has been reported that refugees from Myanmar take shelter in India due to the alleged fear of extensive and systematic persecution by the ruling junta.

It is not the first time that national human rights institutions have shown interest in the burning issues of neighbouring countries.

During a visit to Dhaka in 2010, the NHRC chairpeson has brought to notice the matter of several neglected Indian prisoners in Bangladesh prisons, languishing even after serving their sentence. Following the intervention of Ministry of External Affiars, 59 prisoners wer freed.

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