40 Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu to return home tomorrow

At least 40 Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu, India are to return home tomorrow under the UNHCR facilitated voluntary repatriation programme, Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation said.

V. Sivagnanasothy, Secretaryto the Ministry said the voluntary repatriation movements consisting 40 persons (13 families) scheduled to arrive through Sri Lankan Airlines (UL 132) at 10.10 a.m. from Trichy. 

“The Government under the instructions by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has initiated action to encourage the voluntary refugee returnee programme and the current trend of increased refugee returnees is a sign of reconciliation and moving towards permanent peace.” he said.

These refugee returnees will get back to Trincomalee, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Jaffna and Vavuniya.
Further, the UNHCR provides free air tickets, reintegration allowance of US$ 75 per person, transport allowance US$ 19 per person and monitory non-food grant of US$ 75 per family. Since 2011, already 5165 refugees (1882 Families) have returned to Sri Lanka.

Over 64,000 are stationed in 109 welfare camps in India. Totally, over 100,000 refugees are currently in India. The Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs initiated a livelihood assistance programme of maximum Rs. 100,000 per refugee returnee family to support the livelihood activities.