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At least 30 Lankans opt to stay on in Yemen
A group of some 30 or more Sri Lankans has opted to risk staying back in war-torn Yemen, even as thousands of locals and foreigners continue to flee that country, a senior official said yesterday.
This group had ignored the earlier rescue mission that brought home some 52 Sri Lankans, for reasons best known to them, and there is very little the authorities in Colombo can do about it, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Additional General Manager, Mangala Randeniya told the Sunday Times.
“These Sri Lankan expatriate workers are believed to be scattered around the country, perhaps in areas with very little or no fighting, and feel safe to stay on.
However, the authorities in Colombo, along with the assistance of friendly countries and Lankan missions in neighbouring countries, are at ‘stand by’ to assist them if the need arises,” Mr. Randeniya added.
He said that, as of now, there have been no reports of any casualties among the Sri Lankans, despite the volatile developments in that country, though it was not advisable for anyone to stay on.
“There was also some confusion during the rescue efforts, as 35 individuals had not registered with the SLBFE prior to their departure to Yemen, making authentic identification difficult,” Mr. Randeniya said.
He said most of these persons had left Sri Lanka through dubious methods, in a bid to avoid registration, while some may have traveled to Yemen using land routes from a second or third country.
“This should never have been the case, as it is difficult to trace an individual not registered with the SLBFE, especially in a crisis situation such as what is prevailing in Yemen at present,” he added.
He further said that the rescued Sri Lankans boarded a Chinese vessel from a Yemeni port and taken to Djibouti, from where they were later airlifted to Colombo. Government spent some US$ 36,000 for the repatriation that included visa fees, airfares accommodation etc.
Meanwhile, Government this week advised Sri Lankans against travel to Yemen, but stopped short of imposing a complete travel ban.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera said there was no purpose in issuing a ban, as entry into that country was near impossible, owing to the prevailing war-like situation.