UN committee flags problems faced by Rohingya migrants in India

Geneva [Switzerland], August 25 (ANI): The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on Tuesday raised concerns regarding allegations of structural discrimination, racial profiling, and rights violations faced by Rohingya migrants, asylum-seekers, and other minority communities in India.
In its findings after reviewing India's implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Committee said it was concerned by alleged reports of increased law-enforcement operations targeting these communities.
The concerns cited by the Committee are based on alleged reports it reviewed and do not constitute independent findings that the alleged violations occurred.
CERD highlighted alleged reports that law-enforcement operations targeting Rohingya and other groups had increased, particularly after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the Committee, reported police stops and identity checks involving alleged racial profiling had resulted in arbitrary arrests and detention without due process, as well as allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
The Committee also expressed concern over reports of deportations and forcible returns involving people in need of international protection.
CERD called on India to urgently address the alleged "discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes against Rohingya", migrants and asylum-seekers and also to "protect their rights, refrain from collective expulsions and ensure access to international protection in line with the principle of non-refoulement".
More broadly, the Committee said it was gravely concerned by alleged reports of large-scale violations committed by law-enforcement officials against ethnic and ethno-religious groups, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), particularly Dalits, and non-citizens.
The reported violations included allegations of racially motivated violence, excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention without due process, torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence.
CERD called for "prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all such allegations and ensure accountability for those responsible."
The Committee's observations formed part of a wider review covering four countries--India, Finland, Honduras and Kuwait.
Its findings also included recommendations concerning the rights of the Sami in Finland, Indigenous and Afro-Honduran communities in Honduras, and migrant workers and Bidoon or stateless people in Kuwait.
The Committee criticised Finland over inadequate guarantees for the self-determination of the Indigenous Sami people regarding wind power and mining projects on their traditional lands, as well as rising levels of online and political racist hate speech.
It also flagged land disputes involving Indigenous and Afro-Honduran communities, forced evictions, and ongoing violence against human rights defenders in Honduras.
CRED also urged Kuwait to abolish the "kafala" sponsorship system affecting domestic migrant workers and to resolve the long-standing civil status of stateless Bidoon residents.
The Committee's findings are recommendations issued under the UN racial discrimination convention and reflect alleged concerns raised during its review of the four countries. (ANI)