Delhi Chin Refugee Couple Gang-Assaulted by Landlord
21 March 2012: Chin refugee tenants, Pum Ngaih Khual and his wife Go Sawn Cing, were severely assaulted by their landlord and family members in Hustal block, Vikaspuri in Delhi, India last Sunday.
The Chin couple were violently attacked for noting paying a full monthly rent for the extra four days they were staying while praparing to move into a new place. They paid to the landlord 375 Rupees for the extra four days.
“The Chin family normally made their rental payment on the 15th of each month. When they moved out to a new place, the landlord asked for one month’s room rent although they stayed only for extra four days,” said one of the Chin community leaders in Delhi.
Instantly, the Indian family members started beating them up around 9:30 in the morning on 18 March 2012, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization’ sources.
“Mrs. Go Sawn Cing was strangled by the landlord, fainted and fell down unconscious on the floor. She had convulsions for several hours after the attack,” a Chin leader in Delhi informed Chinland Guardian.
She was taken to a private clinic and was referred to the emergency ward at a government hospital where she underwent an X-ray computed tomography scan. “She was discharged around 1am without receiving adequate treatment,” added the Chin resident in Delhi.
The family is known to have moved to another place for the sake of security.
An Indian policeman was seen immediately arriving at the scene but leaving in a few minutes after speaking to the landlord in Hindi.
One of the Zomi Community Committee members, Mr. Kappi, was also threatened to be attacked when he tried to intervene during the incident.
In another incident happening on 9 February 2012, Mrs Go Sawn Cing was intentionally denied to get water provided for all the tenants by the landlord after others had filled up their containers.
“She [Mrs Go Sawn Cing] went back to her room so unhappy. And after a few minutes, the landlord’s wife and her son came to the room and threatened her of eviction,” the Chin victim was quoted as saying.
“After that, the family started looking for a new room to move in,” said the Chin leader.
Mr. Pum Ngaih Khual and wife Go Sawn Cing with their three children came to Delhi in January 2010 after fleeing abuses from military-controlled Chin State in Burma in search of protection and refuge.
Violent assaults by local Indians, including sexual violence against women and children, have become daily experience for Chin refugees in Delhi in the last few years, while the United Nations High Commissioner, the primary agency concerned with the refugees, continues to promote local integration as the primary means towards durable solution for Burmese refugees in India.
Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
