The plight of urban Rohingya refugees in Nepal

Описание: "Our lives have been ruined, half of our life has been lived - but these children, they should be able to lead good lives", Atif Ushlla, a Rohingya refugee in Nepal shares as a new generation suffers the consequence of Rohingya persecution.

Fleeing persecution and violence in their home state of Rakhine in Myanmar, a few hundred Rohingyas have been seeking refuge in Nepal. Because Nepal has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, it is not legally obliged to grant Rohingyas legal refugee status, however, Nepal also does not forcefully remove them from its soil, allowing them to seek refuge, while at the same time denying them a refugee status.

Meanwhile, a cross-generational impact of the denial can now be felt - as chiildren of the Rohingya refugees stand to be directly affected by the denial of such legal status. Without legal status, the children will be denied access to employment opportunities, therefore pushing them towards a bleak future. Now, parents of Rohingya refugees are worried for their children's future - many wish to return, but they aren't being allowed to.

Therefore, on 27th June, some hundred Rohingya refugees protested outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kathmandu - in a bid to raise the office’s attention towards their plight. They have raised an eleven point demand, which is yet to be addressed by authorities.

Video Report by Nishant Singh Gurung & Trisha Dhakal for Aawaaj News

#Rohingya #Nepal #RefugeeinNepal #UNHCR #AawaajNews