28 foreign nationals transferred to Goalpara’s Matia transit camp amid protests

Barpeta, Sept 3: A total of 28 foreign nationals, including nine women, were relocated to the Matia transit camp from Barpeta district on Monday.

The individuals, who had been living in various police jurisdictions across the district, were transferred following a declaration by the Foreigners' Tribunal in Barpeta, which classified them as foreign nationals.

The transfer process, which took place under heavy security, was carried out by the Barpeta Police in accordance with legal protocols.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Bidyut Bikash Bora stated, “We are carrying out the orders of the Foreigners’ Tribunal. The transfer process was conducted smoothly, adhering to all legal protocols."

However, the transfer sparked unrest outside the Barpeta Superintendent of Police's office, where family members and local residents gathered in protest.

The scene turned tense as the “declared” foreigners were being transported, with the crowd voicing their concerns and demands.

Family members of the transferred individuals called on the state and central governments to expedite the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process.

“We also want an illegal immigrants-free nation. For this, the governments should expedite the NRC process so that the innocents are freed as soon as possible,” said a family member of one of the detainees.

As of January 2023, over 1,000 “declared” foreigners were being held in detention camps across six jails in Assam, including Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, and Silchar.

Most of these individuals have since been released on conditional bail following orders from the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court.

The Matia transit camp, constructed at a cost of ₹64 crore, was initially labelled a detention centre but later renamed a “transit camp” for a more humane approach.

The first batch of 64 declared foreign nationals, all from Goalpara, was shifted to the camp in January 2023.