Over 600 Lankans arrive from Lebanon

COLOMBO: The Government has sponsored the repatriation of over 1,250 Sri Lankans from Lebanon through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Lebanon. Over 600 Sri Lankans have arrived in Sri Lanka from Lebanon and reunited with their families.

The remaining are scheduled to arrive by tomorrow, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry, the Labour Ministry and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) are coordinating this through the Task Forces at the Ministry in Colombo, in Damascus and Latakia in Syria, and in Beirut.

The first batch of 270 Sri Lankans arrived in Colombo via Damascus in a SriLankan Airlines charter flight on July 22.

The second batch of 21 was transported on July 25 via India with the assistance of the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi. They were brought to Cyprus by sea with the assistance of the Indian Government and flown home via India.

Meanwhile, the Government was able to obtain two charter flights through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to airlift two batches of Sri Lankans of 290 each, on July 28 and 30 from the second airport in Syria - Latakia.

A second SriLankan Airlines flight commissioned by the Government with IOM funding, brought home yesterday 309 Sri Lankans from the main Syrian airport in Damascus.

Approximately 88 Sri Lankans, transported from Beirut via Cyprus in Indian vessels are in New Delhi. They will arrive in Sri Lanka early today.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Lebanon is processing the immigration papers of nearly 1000 more Sri Lankans currently being housed in the Embassy and Caritas managed relief centers. Some are staying in their households in Beirut awaiting repatriation.

The Government is making arrangements to repatriate all Sri Lankans who wish to return, with the assistance of IOM and other governments, and will take all efforts to expedite the process.

The Foreign Ministry and SLBFE officials including SLBFE Chairman are in Damascus and Latakia in Syria, and in Cyprus, to coordinate the repatriation process.

Sri Lanka is appreciative of the assistance provided by the government of India and the International Organisation for Migration in the evacuation of Sri Lankans from Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the emergency desks at the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry, the SLBFE and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Lebanon continue to function round the clock.