Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: MJR-47, SOS International besides some other DPs’ organisations observed International Refugee Day today.
June 20 is observed as a refugee day all over the globe under United Nations Convention of 1951. Hardly there is any country in the world where refugee problem does not exist. But in India, this problem came into being immediately after getting independence from British rule and partition of the country there after.
No doubt the country framed a policy to settle these families who migrated from west Pakistan (erstwhile west Punjab) to India & rehabilitated them under Rehabilitation package. But unfortunately, those who fled from their homes due to tribal raid on the State in October 1947 or thereafter, from so called Pak-occupied part of State (illegally occupied part of state) are still living as refugees (DP’s) even after lapse of 7 decades and are now in third generation.
PoJK 1947 DP under the banner of their organisation MJR-47, observed protest at Miran Sahib, RS Pura and Kathua. They were raising slogans in support of their demands. The speakers highlighted the problems of DP’s and appealed the Govt to resolve it with human consideration.
SOS International, an organization of PoK DPs also observed International Refugee Day at Bakshi Nagar, here today under the chairmanship of Rajiv Chuni. The other office bearers and a large number of DPs also attended the programme.
While speaking on the occasion, Chuni said that after the formation of United Nations, Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) people who are now known as PoK Displaced Persons, were thrown out from their native places in 1947 and their quandary still continues for the last 7 decades. The day is observed just to draw the public’s and Governments’ attention towards the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide, who were forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and discrimination.
“Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons are treated with same benchmark as it is the principle of International Refugee Law in which Internally Displaced Persons are given the same facilities as given to refugees. But the tragedy with India is although, India is a member of UN but it is not a signatory to UN Refugee Law because SAARC countries opposed it”, he added.
Chuni further said that “Refugees” and “Internal Displaced Persons” are the terms that fall within the legal definition of international refugee law but Government labeled us with only “Displaced Persons” term which do not fall in the legal categorization of refugees or Internal Displaced Persons which is unfortunate due to which PoK DPs have been living under miserable conditions since long. Moreover, PoK DPs lack official status because PoK is not a foreign soil and are yet to be settled and have been deprived of all the benefits given to refugees according to national and international law”, he said.
“Displaced status is given for a maximum of 10 years but it has been more than 7 decades, PoK DPs are still living with “Displaced” status.
VK Datta, Prof JS Mangal, Prof NN Sharma, Gurdev Singh, Tarvinder Singh, Parmod Ghai, Tilak Raj Sethi, Virinder Khajuria and Vijay Gupta were also present.
Follow our WhatsApp channel