New ferry service brings first batch of refugees

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The first batch of Sri Lankan refugees to arrive in the newly launched Indo-Lanka ferry service reached Sri Lanka yesterday.

They were among those who fled to South India during the conflict period.

The voluntary facilitated repatriation programme is jointly supported by the governments of India and Sri Lanka.

Ecnomic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa greets the first batch of Sri Lankan refugees upon their arrival. Resettlement Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan is also present. Picture by Chaminda Hittatiya

The programme is coordinated by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) together with the Resettlement Ministry of Sri Lanka.

The refugees who returned via the newly setup ferry service between the two countries were warmly welcomed at the Colombo port by. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa together with several government and United Nations officials at a ceremony organized to welcome them who reached the country after many years under the voluntary facilitated repatriation programme.

The first batch consisted of 37 individuals from 15 families. They arrived aboard the Scotia Prince. The group of refugees departed Tuticorin for Colombo on Wednesday. Refugees retuning by sea is significant as until now refugees from India and other countries have been returning to the country by air. Moreover, the ferry service allows refugees to bring their possessions with them. Many refugees are eager to use the ferry service to transport their household possessions with them. Each person could bring up to 150 kilograms of their belongings.

During the course of the LTTE terror, a considerable number of people went abroad, especially to the European countries and India as refugees. After eradicating LTTE terrorism with the humanitarian mission, an increasing number of Sri Lankan refugees are returning to their motherland. Over 1,400 refugees have returned so far this year compared to 2,054 refugees in 2010. UNHCR’s most recent statistics showed there were 141,063 Sri Lankan refugees in 65 countries, with the majority in India, followed by France, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Malaysia, the United States and Italy.

All refugees who return to the country are offered the required facilities including almost all basic needs by the government.

“On the part of the government, every possible step has been taken to assist and look after these refugees. The refugees upon their return to the country receive a reintegration grant and transport allowance to help them get back to their homes,” an Economic Development Ministry official said.

In addition, UNHCR provides funding for the immediate deposit of UNHCR reintegration grant of Rs 10,000 per adult and Rs 7,500 per minor under 18 years.

Each individual is provided with Rs 2,000 in cash that can be used immediately as pocket money to arrange transportation to their villages of origin. In addition each household unit is offered a pack which contains basic household items such as mosquito nets, a kitchen set, towels, plastic mats and so on. A tool kit is also provided which contains certain essential items such as crowbar, an axe, a hurricane lamp etc.

Deputy Minister of Resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, Sri Lankan Representative of UNHCR Michael Zwack, UNHCR Deputy Representative in Sri Lanka Jennifer Pagonis also participated in the event.