Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 19: On the eve of World Refugee Day, Rajiv Chuni, chairman of SOS International—an organization representing displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)—issued a strong call for justice.
Speaking on behalf of over 1.5 million PoJK displaced persons, Chuni urged the Government of India and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to recognize their refugee status, which he said has been denied for the past 78 years. Such recognition, he stressed, would open the door to international protections and aid.
“While the world celebrates, we remain in limbo—stripped of dignity and rights,” Chuni said, describing the situation as a humanitarian crisis that undermines the essence of World Refugee Day.
Following the 1947 conflict over J&K, displaced persons from Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, and Poonch were forced to flee their homes, leaving behind land, property, and livelihoods. However, India’s claim over PoJK means these individuals are officially classified as “displaced persons” rather than “refugees,” thereby excluding them from protections under the 1951 Refugee Convention—an agreement that India has not signed. As a result, they receive neither UNHCR assistance nor clear legal status, despite being Indian citizens.
“For 78 years, three generations have endured poverty, living in cramped camps with inadequate land and no fair compensation,” Chuni lamented. “If we are not responsible for our displacement, why are we being made to suffer?”
Chuni called on the Indian Government to constitute a dedicated commission to address their demands for fair compensation, ownership of leftover land, political empowerment, and full integration. He also urged the UNHCR to explore viable solutions within the framework of India’s territorial stance.
“Ignoring us mocks the very concept of human rights,” he said, reiterating the demand for recognition as refugees.
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