A 75-year-old Sri Lankan refugee who returned from India with UNHCR assistance was released Monday by the Mallakam Magistrate’s Court after being arrested at Palaly Airport for allegedly “emigrating through a non-legalized port.”
The arrest drew criticism from former MP and attorney M. A. Sumanthiran, who said the man had obtained all necessary clearances from relevant agencies. He warned the move could discourage nearly 10,000 other refugees registered to return.
Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the arrest was triggered by the automatic application of an outdated wartime law and did not reflect current government policy. He said the regulation should have been amended long ago.
Rathnayake said he had spoken with Minister Ananda Wijepala, who promised immediate legal reforms. He also recalled that he and Minister Jeevan Thondaman visited refugee camps in India in 2007 and supported a 2008 law that granted citizenship to more than 28,500 Sri Lankans.
UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche welcomed the man’s release and praised the government’s shift in policy.
“We applaud the government for extending a welcome to all returning refugees that have been displaced for decades,” Franche said. “This vital policy shift will further support the UNHCR’s work of more than 35 years facilitating Sri Lankan refugees to return home and assist them to reintegrate.” (NewsWire)