Efforts are being made to repatriate Sri Lankans living in india as refugees due to the Sri Lankan civil war.
A special meeting was held in Colombo on november 26 to talk about the refugees.
The focus was on the repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees from India. The Deputy High Commissioner briefed the Fisheries minister on the facilities to be provided to Sri Lankans to be brought from India.
Travel arrangements for Sri Lankans to be picked up will be made free of charge by the government of Sri Lanka.
Arrangements have been made to provide Rs. 30,000 per family in the first phase for the expenses of those brought to Sri Lanka.
Steps have been taken to resettle the displaced in their native lands and to set up houses on those lands with the participation of international private companies.
Response of Sri Lankan Refugee Organization in India
The sri lanka Ethel Rehabilitation Association says most Sri Lankan refugees in india have expressed a desire to return to their homeland if india and sri lanka sign a joint refugee agreement.
Sri Lankan refugees, who have lived in india for about 30 years, want the agreement to state that they should be offered assistance by the indian government when they return home.
The agreement also stipulates that the ration distribution scheme in india should be extended to sri lanka for a specified period.
In addition, the agreement must confirm the return of occupied land or the granting of new land.
Sri Lankan refugees are demanding that the housing scheme provided by the indian government be included in the agreement. It is demanded that employment be secured.
He also noted that at a time when the Sri Lankan economy is severely affected, there is little fear of refugees from india arriving in Sri Lanka.
Similarly, he said, the refugees were urging the government to take steps to ensure that one of the family members of the refugees living with their family first returned home and their livelihood and the environment in which they lived were facilitated to move their family.
According to the sri lanka Athlete Rehabilitation Association, at present 4000 people have agreed to visit Sri Lanka.
He says most of the refugees from the upcountry do not want to return to the country and are demanding that they be granted indian citizenship.
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