News
Undocumented Lankan workers in Lebanon could face hurdles if the need to evacuate arises
View(s):By Miriam Alphonsus
An estimated 40 percent of some seven thousand Sri Lankans working and living in Lebanon lack proper documentation like passports and visas, posing registration issues for the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) if the need for evacuation arises.
Explaining the situation, Lalani (name changed), a Sri Lankan in Beirut, said, “The embassy gives a temporary book, a kind of one-way passport, to help those who don’t have documents to return. But many people struggle to get those as they have no way of proving their citizenship.”
Some came on fake passports or passports of their relatives many years ago, said Lalani, who has been working with migrant communities for several years.
She said supplementary documentation proving they are Sri Lankan workers is difficult to get. For instance, some people are no longer working with the original employer who sponsored them and therefore cannot get letters from them.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Kapila Jayaweera has kept the embassy open on Sundays to assist Sri Lankans seeking to register with the SLBFE. On his request, the SLBFE has given an amnesty period for those not registered to do so until January 8, next year.
SLBFE registration is important to keep track of how many Sri Lankans are living where and support them financially if the need arises.
However, registration requires a valid visa and passport and costs around USD 62. So far there are no plans to waive this fee as that requires a cabinet decision, said Gamini Senarath Yapa, SLBFE’s Additional General Manager of International Affairs.
“We will support whoever comes to the embassy with any documentation to the best of our ability,” the ambassador said. However, he said those without valid visas, with fake passports, or lacking other documentation would find it difficult to register with SLBFE. In the event of an evacuation, these people could get overlooked.
Migrant workers face other hurdles, too. Many fled from the south or were thrown out of their employers’ houses when the war broke out. Many migrants turned to shelters but found that these shelters only accepted certain nationalities and do not permit Sri Lankan women to bring their Palestinian, Egyptian, or Syrian spouses with them, said Lalani. As a result, many Sri Lankans are out in the streets. Moreover, migrant populations are especially vulnerable, as they cannot approach the police for any reason without their employer. Since many employers have left the country or have been displaced, migrant workers are left to fend for themselves.
Lalani believes there is no telling if the conflict situation will worsen or improve. “There were some attacks near the airport. Two recent strikes came without a warning, unlike previous times,” she said.
“As long as the situation remains as it is, people will be safe,” said Ambassador Jayaweera “If the bombing worsens, it is going to be a big problem.”
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