Pain of not knowing what’s happening
By N. Dilshath Banu
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE)
said not many Sri Lankans were expected to be repatriated, as most
were willing to remain and work in non-affected areas despite the
war in Lebanon.
“So far we have only received between 3,000
to 4,000 applications for repatriation from Lebanon and expect a
total of about 7,000 people to return, as many of those living and
working in non-affected areas are opting to stay back due to the
fear of losing their jobs,” SLBFE acting general manager H.
Batagoda said.
He said of the 80,000 migrant workers some 3,000
had returned from Lebanon with more expected to return in the coming
days while some migrant workers were detained at work places or
arrested while crossing into Syria without proper documents. Consular
Affairs Director General I. Anzar said the Government was negotiating
with Lebanon and Israel, to ensure safe passage for Sri Lankans.
“We are talking to Lebanon and Israel about
stranded Sri Lankans. We cannot go from house to house checking
whether any Sri Lankans are being detained. But if there are any
such cases we will bring them to the notice of our embassy,”
he said. Mr. Anzar warned Sri Lankans about the dangers of attempting
to cross the Lebanon-Syrian border without proper travel documents
because of the possibility of being arrested at border check points.
Meanwhile long queues of people were seen at the SLBFE wanting to
telephone their relatives in Lebanon. The SLBFE said it was providing
IDD facilities and the services of an Arabic-speaking translator
to anyone who wanted to talk to relatives and friends.
While some were successful in contacting those
in Lebanon some others had to return disappointed.
Stella a young girl from Mattakkuliya stood in
the queue carrying an infant with the girl’s mother and brother
wanting to call their sister in Lebanon.
“Even after the crisis we were unable to
get her new contact number from the agency. We had to tell a lie
that the SLBFE wanted the number and somehow managed to get it.
Though I tried a couple of times the line was engaged. The SLBFE
phone operator managed to get through and said a lady answered the
phone and said my sister had run away. This is her baby and two
more of her children live with us,” she said.
S. Nesan from Deniyaya had come to talk to his
19-year-old daughter, who had been in Lebanon for about three months.
“She wanted to go abroad to build a better
house for us and save some money for her future. But now I’m
left with a number on a piece of paper and the line is eternally
engaged,” he said.
Parwathi (42) from Kalutara had come to the SLFBE
to call her daughter after many attempts to contact her daughter
from her neighbour’s phone had failed.
“As soon as I knew there were problems in Lebanon, I tried
several times to call my daughter but the lines didn’t work.
I went to the airport to see whether she is coming, but that too
was of no use. Now I have come here to try and call my daughter
once more,” Parwathi said.
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