Concern is being expressed about the possibility of Sri Lankan Tamils living in various foreign countries, being sent back to Sri Lanka. The Tamil Diaspora in the United States has already sounded the siren in this issue. The war that devastated the country for the past three decades has finally ended and Colombo is engaged in its usual diplomatic melodrama, keeping busy trying to convince the world at large that everything is now rosy and easy in the country, especially in the North and the East.
Harboring Different Views
In such a backdrop, Tamil expatriates in the United States have expressed fear that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) could press the respective governments of countries where Sri Lankan Tamils have sought political refuge, to send them back, along with the few Sinhala expatriates who had also sought shelter in foreign chimes to escape the witch hunt of Colombo, for harboring different views.
The Tamil Diaspora in the United States reveal that they are reliably informed that the UNHCR is seriously considering amending its guidelines over safeguarding refugees the world over. These Tamils have openly expressed that amending or changing the existing UNHCR enactments and regulations would only endanger the lives of Sri Lankan expatriates, asserting that if they are sent back to Sri Lanka they might face torture and even subsequent extermination.
Prevailing Situation
The US Tamils also point out that a statement issued by the Department of State in 2009 explicitly elucidates the extremely perilous situation prevailing in Sri Lanka. The statement outlines incidents of abductions, disappearances, kidnappings etc. of political nature committed by sub security groups with or without the knowledge and blessings of the government. The statement declares that these acts of intimidation occur even in the regions where there is no war.
Moreover the US Tamil Diaspora claims that if the UNHCR proceeds to amend and relax its existing laws of protecting refugees and new laws persist that the expatriates should return to their respective countries, it would lead to a number of issues. The main issue will be the youth. It asserted that young Tamil expatriates will be subjected to harassment if they ever set foot on Sri Lankan soil. They might even be ensnared and charges framed against them which could lead to long-term detention, torture and possibly death to these young people.
Granting Refugee Status to Tamils
Hence, the Tamil group has requested that the UNHCR precisely evaluate the true situation in Sri Lanka prior to making any negative changes to its present position of granting refugee status to Tamils as well as Sinhalese. They insist that the UNHCR should conduct a thorough and comprehensive evaluation by utilizing its own experts. It added that the Tamil expatriates believe that the organization would approach this issue from a humanitarian angle as it involves the basic rights of the people.
UNHCR is a colossal organization that gives shelter to displaced people all over the world who have lost their livelihoods and their basic rights due to natural as well as man-made disasters. We hope that it would consider this issue with utmost prudence, without any bias or haste.
Can we expect the UNHCR to look at this crucial issue pertaining to US Tamil expatriates with understanding and not think it to be inopportune or flawed?
No comments:
Post a Comment