1. People taking part in the peaceful
demonstration of 1990 or those who paid cash donations to the movement were targets for
official harassment. They were kept under constant watch by the authorities and were
liable to be arrested at any time. Upon arrest they were invariably compelled to leave the
country.
2. The member[s] of the family arrested and
imprisoned by the security forces were subjected to severe torture to extract statement in
which they would offer to leave the country upon their release from the prison. After
their release the entire family were evicted.
3. While a member of the family was undergoing
severe torture in jail the government officials coerced the family members at home to
offer to leave the country as a pre-condition for the release of their family member from
the prison. The officials often threatened the family of dreadful consequences to their
imprisoned family member(s) if they did not oblige. Under such circumstances, the family
had only one option - to agree to leave the country.
4. If a member of a family, fearing persecution,
fled the country, particularly after the crushed peaceful demonstration, the family left
behind was ordered by the authorities to hand over the fleeing member. Failing to produce
the family member in a stipulated time, the whole family had to leave the country.
5. Families whose members were suspected of having
involvement in the movement were officially declared as anti-nationals. The
security personnel were sent to the houses of such families and they were driven out of
the country.
6. The people were threatened with re-arrest if they
did not leave the country upon their release.
7. Some families were compelled to leave the country
owing to continued harassment like frequent raids at night by the security force and
government officials intimidating them to leave the country. Such raids involved
molestation or threat of rape to female members of the family.
8. The government authorities from the district, the
village headmen or the security personnel conducted public meetings in the villages where
village folks were threatened with dire consequences if they ignored authorities
order to leave the country. Several families decided to leave the country out of fear from
these threats. Often the government authorities issued written orders to families through
village heads ordering them to leave the country.
9. The security forces committed rape and torture
during the regular house raids. In many instances, the security forces ordered the
villagers to supply female volunteers to help in their barracks and gang-raped
them. The security forces burnt or demolished their houses forcing people out of their
homes. These circumstances forced the people to escape to safety.
10. The census officials declared them as
non-nationals during the census exercise and were forced out of the country. Since 1990
census exercise has become an annual affair.