Refugees in India hard hit by coronavirus lockdown

Munawar Zaman
Press TV, New Delhi

It’s a fight to live or die for thousands of refugees living in the Indian Subcontinent. Many of these people say if they don’t die from the coronavirus, poverty caused by lack of work and earning will definitely put an end to their lives.

Most of them earned just enough to support their families, but the nationwide lockdown on India back in March left many jobless.

Earlier this month, India began to ease the lockdown in phases, but this has led to a rapid surge in confirmed cases across the country. Most of the refugees who survive on daily wages in the informal job sector are struggling with hunger. Some others are surviving on charity from locals.

Most of the refugees living in India are from Myanmar and Afghanistan. There are a few groups from Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and other African countries. Most of these refugees are registered with the UNHCR, or the UN refugee agency. These agencies have been helping refugees during the lockdown; however, many complain that the help was not sufficient.

The World Bank says that the coronavirus pandemic will push millions across the world into extreme poverty. It also warns of a looming hunger crisis and acute food insecurity by the end of 2020.

Refugees in India are facing other challenges as well, such as eviction, because they are unable to pay rent. Most of them have already exhausted all their savings and are fighting to survive each day.

Challenges are not limited to mental and financial stresses, but the COVID-19 itself has infected many refugees, with at least four confirmed by UNHCR to be dead.

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