Sri Lankan refugees’ voyage back home brightens post MHA scrutiny

The Indian government with the assistance of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was trying to repatriate Sri Lankan refugees by air. However, the refugees have been insisting to travel only by sea as they would be able to carry all the belongings with them.

“Several Tamils from Lanka, who sought asylum in Tamil Nadu during the civil war in the island nation, have been living in the refugee camps for more than a decade and acquired several things during their stay here. So, they want to take all those belongings start a fresh life in their country without any problem,” said S Selvarathnam, one of the coordinators of Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) in Tiruchy.

One of the main reasons, the refugees were resisting the repatriation by flight is that they can’t take more than 60 kg, which was earlier 40 kg and increased after repeated appeals. “But, this relaxation on air travel will not help them much,” Selvarathnam said.

Following this, the OfERR created a list of 3,500 refugees, who wanted to travel only by ship. The list was submitted to the state government through the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, a few months back. Subsequently, the state forwarded the list to the Home Ministry. In January, a team from the rehabilitation division of MHA divided into three groups carried out a verification exercise in 96 out of the 107 camps in four regions – Erode, Chennai, Tiruchy and Tirunelveli. The refugees also appealed to the officials that they needed a shipping service similar to Ramanujam ship service, which operated thrice a week to Lanka, that was operational till 1994.