Deported asylum seekers arrive in Sri Lanka
This group included 27 Tamils and one Muslim, among them were three women. These individuals had been identified as residents of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Colombo and Negombo.
Out of 203 Sri Lankan Political asylum seekers who were trying to escape to Canada, and kept as refugees in Togo Lome City, West Africa, 28 who were deported from that country, arrived here on 6th.
The International Organisation for Migrants, the Canadian government and the Sri Lankan embassy negotiated to bring them back to the island.
This group included 27 Tamils and one Muslim, among them were three women. These individuals had been identified as residents of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Colombo and Negombo.
Two officials of t he International Organisation for Migrants arrived i n Togo last week to bring back these refugees.
The refugees housed in an open stadium in Togo were those who attempted to migrate to Canada during the war situation. They had schemed to arrive in West Africa through India and Ethiopia and escape to Canada by boats.
However, the accomplice agent had stranded them and fled, which resulted them to stay in Togo as refugees. The refugees who arrived were to be questioned by the CID and Intelligence unit and thereafter released.
Explaining on this subject the Emigration and Immigration officials stated that daily groups of people arrive at the Katunayake Airport with tourist visas to travel to Canada, but after in depth inquiries they had been able to thwart the attempts of these individuals from travelling.
They also said last week they were able to send back some who had arrived to travel to Canada.
The refugees who arrived back had contacted yellow fever and the officials of the Organisation for Migrants would admit them to hospital for treatment.