UN welcomes Sri Lanka move to facilitate return of refugees from India
COLOMBO – The United Nations on Saturday (22) welcomed Sri Lanka’s decision to simplify immigration procedures to facilitate the voluntary return of Sri Lankan refugees who have been living in India for decades after fleeing the country during the civil conflict.
The Sri Lankan government introduced special arrangements earlier this month to streamline the process and expedite the return of refugees from India, including those who had left Sri Lanka without valid travel documentation.
UN Resident Coordinator and Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche welcomed the Cabinet decision, describing it as an important step towards enabling refugees to return home safely and with dignity.
“I welcome the Cabinet’s decision on procedures to enable Sri Lankan refugees to return voluntarily to their homeland. After many years of displacement, this is an important step towards a safe and dignified return,” Franche said in a post on X.
He said the United Nations, through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), would continue to support the voluntary return and reintegration of the refugees.
Large numbers of Sri Lankan refugees began arriving in India, particularly Tamil Nadu, following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka in 1983 and the subsequent escalation of the armed conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The conflict lasted nearly three decades and ended in 2009.
According to available figures, around 18,000 Sri Lankan refugees returned to the country between 2002 and 2022. However, approximately 90,000 Sri Lankan refugees are estimated to remain in Tamil Nadu.
Many of those who remain in India have spent decades there, with issues relating to livelihoods, documentation and long-term legal status posing challenges to their eventual return.
The UN has stressed that any return should be voluntary, safe and dignified, while continued support for reintegration will be important to ensure that returning refugees can rebuild their lives in Sri Lanka.
–ENCL
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