United Nations Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet expressed distress over the “plight of millions of internal migrants affected by the sudden announcement of a lockdown in India”. Welcoming subsequent measures to address the situation, she said “pervasive challenges remain”.
“The lockdown in India represents a massive logistical and implementation challenge given the population size and its density and we all hope the spread of the virus can be checked,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights said. “It is nonetheless important to ensure that measures in response to the COVID-19 are neither applied in a discriminatory manner nor exacerbate existing inequalities and vulnerabilities.”
The plight of thousands of migrant workers who were left stranded after the announcement of the 21-day lockdown, which began on March 25, evoked reactions from across the country and worldwide. Authorities have tried to manage the situation, opening up schools and shelters to house them, but the response was only after the situation flared up.
The Narendra Modi government submitted before the Supreme Court that the panic exodus began with rumours spreading that the lockdown could continue for three months. Even though the crowds on the streets, especially at borders and bus terminals have been reduced, visuals of the migrants walking for hundreds of kilometres and dropping dead, or being sprayed with disinfectant, have evoked outrage. Distribution of supplies and the welfare of the internally displaced continue to be a challenge, even as authorities dole out relief.
“On March 29, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus, the ministry of home affairs issued an order to states to intercept migrants on their way home and require them to enter quarantine for a two-week period. The high commissioner welcomes the Supreme Court of India’s subsequent instruction on March 31 to ensure that migrants are provided enough food, water, beds and supplies as well as psychosocial counselling in shelters that should be run by volunteers instead of security forces, and that they should be treated in a humane manner,” stated a release from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Bachelet added that, “The Supreme Court’s order and its implementation will go a long way to ensuring the safety and rights of these vulnerable migrants. Many of these people’s lives have been suddenly uprooted by the lockdown, placing them in very precarious situations.” Noting the efforts of the administration to distribute food, urge landlords to waive rent and employers to pay salary, Bachelet added that, “In spite of all these significant efforts, more needs to be done as the human tragedy continues to unfold before our eyes. Special measures should also take into account the particular situation of migrant women, who are among those most economically vulnerable and impacted by the situation.”
The human rights body urged policemen to show restraint and abide by international standards on the use of force and on humane treatment in their efforts to respond to the pandemic. It also expressed regret at measures that have resulted in stigmatisation of certain sections, for instance, the practice of stamping the quarantine mark on people’s hands or notices at their doors. “It is important to weigh such measures against the right to privacy and avoid measures that would unduly stigmatise people within the community, who may already be vulnerable due to their social status or other factors,” Bachelet said. “This is a time for domestic solidarity and unity. I encourage the Government to draw on India’s vibrant civil society to reach out to the most vulnerable sectors of society, to ensure no one is left behind in this time of crisis,” Bachelet said.