Govt looking to rescue more Lankans held in Myanmar

The Sri Lankan Government is to venture on the next phase of securing the release of more than 50 Lankans abducted and held in Myanmar by a group involved in cyber fraud syndicates.

Eight Sri Lankans who were rescued from the group today returned to the country and were due to be handed over to their parents later in the day.

They were told that the Foreign Ministry were making their best efforts to get the others released as soon as possible.

A.S.K Senavirthna, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs, received the eight Sri Lankans who were rescued and repatriated at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after the Ministry's Consular Foreign Affairs Division coordinated the repatriation process with relevant stakeholders.

The Foreign Ministry said the Sri Lankans expressed their sincere appreciation and gratitude for the continued efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in ensuring their safe return to Sri Lanka.  

However, they were not given an opportunity to speak to the Media. Their parents had been told not to come to the airport and they would be handed over to them in Colombo.

The Foreign Ministry said at the request of the Sri Lankan government, Myanmar law enforcement officials rescued the abducted Sri Lankans on April 4, 2024 . They were brought to Bangkok on April 11, 2024 after Sri Lankan embassy officials in Bangkok welcomed them at the Maeso border gate in Thailand and accommodated them until their repatriation with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration provided facilities.  

The International Organization for Migration provided logistical assistance to repatriate the rescued Sri Lankans. 

Following their rescue from the kidnappers, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Myanmar provided them with food and other necessities during their temporary stay at the Myawaddy Police Station through the Myanmar-based charity Eden Foundation.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand and other stakeholders including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for their assistance in this regard.