Fate of Tamil Expatriates If Sent Bank to Sri Lanka

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?

Sri Lankan Government Responsible for Global Interferences

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says that according to United Nations conventions and other related agreements to which Sri Lanka has been a signatory, the government cannot oppose any suggestions made by its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon or its member states in matters pertaining to probes in the context of those agreements and conventions.

The country also subscribes to the principle that people should not allow foreign powers to interfere in our internal affairs and to challenge our sovereignty. But we do have to work in concord with the world. It is the government that is paving the way for international forces to intercede in our matters and to challenge our sovereignty by its acts of political revenge, human right violations and other antidemocratic activities.

Human Rights Violations
The various other criticisms are being made about the escalating interference by other countries. Such interference has apparently increased in the recent past. He observed that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recently said that a special panel should be appointed to probe human rights violations allegations against Sri Lanka.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has made public his firm resentment of this suggestion, but it is nothing but an attempt to deceive the people. Meanwhile, 'political infants' cradled in the lap of the government too shout down the suggestion made by Ban Ki-moon. All this melodrama is mere intentional posturing aimed at harnessing more votes in the coming general election. If they are true patriots they should be shouting in front of the President's House instead of demonstrating opposite the British High Commission.

Rebuilding Country
The need to rebuild this country is being strongly felt now that terrorism has been totally rooted out of this country. The United Nations and various other countries have stressed this point. The United Nations and the Sri Lankan Government agreed on certain matters and eventually both issued a joint statement. Certain actions that have to be implemented first and foremost in this regard have been highlighted in that statement such as conciliation among communities, national unity, impartiality, etc.

Moreover, the statement stressed the importance of resettling the internally displaced people in their native places and the need to provide them with sustainable livelihoods. The resolution asserted that human rights should be upheld and a transparent and acceptable administrative structure in the country be ensured while the Sri Lankan Government would be held accountable for any lapses in any of these areas. But the country is presently overwhelmed with media oppressions, political feuds, illegal activities, antidemocratic activities and blatant human rights violations. Hence, not a single pledge agreed upon in the UN agreement has been fulfilled.

Negative Ambience
In such a negative ambience, it is inevitable that the United Nations would step into the picture at some point of time. We too disapprove of interference by other countries in our affairs. But it is the government that helped create this situation.

The government speaks in English to establish various agreements with foreign bodies but deceives the people by speaking to them in Sinhalese on these matters. In addition, Ban Ki-moon only said that he wants to appoint a panel to observe the situation here. He never said he was going to appoint a team to investigate. But the government distorted his remarks and is trying to make fools out of people.

The people should understand that the government would obviously engage in this kind of ruse, particularly at election time. But to deceive the public with such colossal lies is despicable. If we have threats from foreign powers it is the government that invited such interference in it. Therefore, do not get deceived by the theatrics of the government. They are only good at play acting and know nothing about ruling a country.