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Fact-finding on SL refugees in Tamil Nadu commences

15 Sep 2022

  • Committee starts gathering info via DSs in North and East
  • Eelam Refugees Rehab Org. requests GoSL for lands to resettle returning families and ferry service 
BY Mirudhula Thambiah   The committee appointed by President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake to assist and efficiently proceed with the process of repatriating war-affected Sri Lankan refugees who are in Tamil Nadu, India has commenced functions by gathering information regarding Sri Lankans who fled the country during the war as refugees and their whereabouts. Speaking to The Morning, Ministry of Justice Secretary Wasantha Perera, who is also heading this committee, informed that they have begun to collect information to determine who among the war-affected Sri Lankan refugees left for Tamil Nadu and when.  “We are currently looking forward to gathering information from all District Secretariats (DSs) in the North and East through a separate unit established in this regard,” she said.  Perera said that the documentation-related requirements of the refugees returning from India are essential to clear the necessary proceedings for their return to Sri Lanka.  “We are studying the process to determine where they must go to follow the procedure while making suggestions to simplify the procedure of returning from India. We have already decided to waive some penalties. The refugees have to prove that there is a genuine case. In situations like these, everybody tries to take advantage, and therefore, we really want to identify these refugees,” she said. Meanwhile, Organisation for Eelam Refugees’ Rehabilitation (Ceylon) President S. Suriyakumari, speaking to The Morning, said that prior to the current economic crisis, some of these Sri Lankan refugees who left for India had consented to return. Therefore, requests have been made to provide suitable arrangements with regard to their resettlement and livelihoods.  “Most of these people left as one family to India during the war, but currently they have extended to four to five families, and therefore, their needs must be met when they return to the country. The available lands in their home country could only be provided to one family and for the other families, lands have to be allocated to resettle them,” she added.  Suriyakumari noted that these refugees cannot be expected to return immediately. “We cannot expect them to return immediately. Four years ago, most of these families had registered with the relevant authorities stating that they wanted to come back by ferry services as it would be easier to bring along their household items. Therefore, we have requested the Government to organise a ferry service for those who consent to return.”  She said that certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are providing livelihood assistance to Sri Lankan returnees.  Suriyakumari also insisted that the current Government should come up with a policy or framework to facilitate Sri Lankan refugees returning from India. Accordingly, the committee appointed in this regard includes officials from the President’s office, the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Registrar General’s Department, and the Ministry of Justice. Currently, 58,000 Sri Lankans reside in Tamil Nadu and only 3,800 of them have consented to return to the country. The office of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai, India is co-ordinating this procedure.  A similar framework was implemented during the United National Front (UNF) “yahapalana” (good governance) Government and facilities were provided for Sri Lankan returnees to resettle in their home country under the then-Ministry of Resettlement. Around 16,000 Sri Lankans returned from India under this programme.


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