ISLAMABAD – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has expressedconcern over the publication of a National Register of Citizens that mayput 1.9 million people in India’s north-eastern state of Assam at risk ofbecoming stateless.
In a statement on Sunday, he said any process that could leave largenumbers of people without a nationality would be an enormous blow to globalefforts to eradicate statelessness.
UN High Commissioner appealed to India to ensure that no one is renderedstateless by this action, including by ensuring adequate access toinformation, legal aid, and legal recourse in accordance with the higheststandards of due process.
He urged India to take steps that mitigate the risk of any individual beingleft stateless as a result of the NRC update in Assam or similar processesthat may take place in other states of the country.
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He called on the authorities to refrain from detaining or deporting anyonewhose nationality has not been verified through this process.
