UK deports another group of Lankans

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The United Kingdom yesterday deported another group of 60 Sri Lankan asylum seekers and visa over stayers.

Those sent back include failed asylum seekers and visa over stayers, BBC reported quoting UK officials.

UK authorities deported them amidst efforts by pro - LTTE elements in Britain to prevent British authorities from carrying out the deportation of Sri Lankans who have failed to qualify for asylum.

The British Foreign Office last March told BBC that they send people back to Sri Lanka only when the British government and the courts are satisfied that an individual does not need protection.

The Foreign Office has said there had been no substantiated allegations of mistreatment of those returned from the UK.Yesterday’s flight is the fifth such flight of deportees been sent from the UK.

Meanwhile there were reports of Sri Lankan asylum seekers returning back home willingly from both Australia and India.Around 14 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on Christmas Island have opted to return home, foreign media reported. Meanwhile another group consisting of 70 people who had been staying in Camps in South India returned to Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Special Services are being carried out by the Deputy High Commissioners office in Chennai to facilitate the return of Sri Lankan’s living in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu. They have organized special programmes on orientation and issuance of travel and identity documents to help the smooth return of those who want to go back to Sri Lanka. The UNHCR to has opened a special desk at the Airport and also is offering financial help to the returnees from India.

One refugee who returned from India on Tuesday told ‘Daily News’ that seven months after his marriage he had fled to India. “Now I have two children aged 14 and 7. Now Sri Lanka is a war free country and there is protection for all without discrimination” he added.

The Government earlier called for foreign countries to deport asylum seekers. Most of those who resort to illegal migration are doing so for economic purposes, experts have pointed out. Meanwhile a couple of days back External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama told ‘Daily News’ that the Australian Government has proposed establishing a committee comprising Sri Lankan and Australian government officials to look into the illegal migrants’ issue.

Secretary Amunugama on the occasion said that the activity is carried out by an organised ring of human smugglers. “They lure people into their multi-million rupee people - smuggling racket by promising them a better life in other countries. The smuggling of migrants is a global concern,” he said.

“The victims of these clandestine operations undergo unimaginable hardships in their harsh search for a better life,” Amunugama added.

The Navy has arrested nearly 2,000 Sri Lankans, including women and children who attempted to illegally migrate to Australia on multi-day fishing boats from January to September this year.