Lebanese amnesty to benefit 3,000 Lankans

A large number of Sri Lankans in Lebanon stranded or remanded in Lebanon will benefit from a three-month amnesty declared by the Government of Lebanon for Asian workers who remain in the country without work permits or visas.

About 3,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers in that category would benefit by the amnesty.

Most such migrant workers had remained in Lebanon without being able to return to their home countries and the Asian Ambassadors including Sri Lanka’s envoy M. Mahroof had made representations to the Government of Lebanon about these workers resulting in the amnesty being declared, the SLBFE Media Secretary said.

Some of these Sri Lankan workers are in remand prisons or detention centres and some are housed by the Sri Lanka Embassy in hostels.

Some of them had overstayed the validity period of their visas and there were some who did not have passports. The SLBFE in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Ambassador is currently taking steps to repatriate these workers. Emergency Certificates will be issued to those who do not have their passports. Arrangements have been made to provide passage back home to those who do not have funds to purchase airline tickets, the secretary said. (LdeS)