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http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print20170401CT20170630.php?id=20565
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan
Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, Sri Lanka is not a party to accommodate refugees, however, being the most calm country in the region, Sri Lanka is turning out to be a haven for asylum seekers including the boatpeople who flee from their land of birth due to terror threats, religious extremism and persecutions.
An apparent 'fear' has engulfed Sri Lanka with boat people and foreign refugees getting attracted to the "only peaceful" island surrounded by countries that are facing sordid religious extremism, persecutions, border disputes and threats of terror attacks.
After 138 members of Rohingya Muslims fled due to alleged persecution on their own soil – Myanmar led them to land on Sri Lanka shores in 2013.
But again on 30 April 2017, another set of 30 Rohingyas claiming they are persecuted, set foot on the shores of Sri Lanka. They were once again rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy.
Affluent countries
Australia, one of the affluent countries which became a popular destination for boatpeople to seek asylum,in stern termsexpressed their displeasure over boatpeople entering their territory. The strictest measure the Australian Border Petrol was to chase away the boatpeople even before they entered their territorial waters. They also spent millions of dollars to air advertisements in many countries urging people not to "enter" Australia illegally.
Civil societies and human rights activists including the UNHRC have been voicing that the boatpeople are also humans - a slogan urging countries to accept boat people who take the most dangerous sea routes to seek asylum in countries that are affluent to accommodate, but the trend of boatpeople on the sea seeking asylum is on the increase.
The Rohingyas seeking asylum is unique because they are counted as "stateless people" and so, countries in which they set foot on, find it difficult in deport them to Myanmar.
Rohingyas
The Rohingyas seeking asylum in Sri Lanka have given them hopes of survival after the 138 persons arrived in 2013 have made it to the West.
On 30 April scorching Sunday mid noon, a boat packed with 30 Rohiningya Muslims, half of them underaged, reached the shores of Point Pedro (KKS) in the Northern peninsula. Their boat was intercepted by the Navy when they entered the Sri Lankan maritime border.
The small fishing boat accommodating a group of 30 had sailed for many hours risking their lives and they were saved by the SL Navy.
After handing them over to the police, a case was filed by KKS police who arrested the illegal immigrants and transported them to Mallakam Magistrate Courts where they were remanded till 2 May and produced before the Jaffna Magistrate.
Mirihana Detention Camp
It is noted that they were transported to Mirihana Detention Camp till the next Court hearing that is scheduled for 16 May.
When the Immigration officials in Colombo questioned them what made them to come to Sri Lanka, the boatpeople have said they had no idea where they were going to.
Having stayed in New Delhi for nearly four years seeking asylum, the oppressed minority Muslims of Myanmar had set sail to Sri Lanka using a small fishing boat from Tamil Nadu.
It is alleged that they had fled from Bangladesh and crossed over to India more than four years ago. The two smugglers who piloted the small fishing boat carrying the poor victims of torture and discrimination were identified to be Tamils hailing from South India.
Background
The Rohingiyas of Rakhine State of Myanmar (formerly Arakan) have been facing times of trouble after repeated ethnic tension based on religion. From 2012 onward media reported clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims leaving many killed and Muslims fled from the Rakhine.
Myanmar have vehemently refused to accept Rohingya Muslims as their people, but considered them as "interlopers" from Bangladesh. Bangladeshis who claim otherwise, have left the poor minority community as "stateless".
According to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) an estimated 168, 000 Muslim Rohingyas departed Myanmar since 2012, with 74, 000 refugees crossing the border to Bangladesh since the Burmese Army launched security operations in the wake of attacks on border guard posts in October last year.
Between 2012 and 2015, the greatest movement of Rohingya refugees was sailed by boat to Malaysia with nearly 100, 000 refugees making the journey across the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The UNHCR noted that the boatpeople have paid up to $,2,000 and the fatality rate was 1.2 per cent. Thousands of Rohingya refugees also travelled through Bangladesh to India. But there is uncertainty in India too with growing tendency of "Hindutva" and several Hindu groups calling to deport some 40, 000 Rohingya Muslims taken refuge in several Indian cities has made the Rohingyas "stateless".
Amidst the fear, the Rohingya Muslims have now set their eyes on Sri Lanka to seek asylum and refugee status elsewhere.
The language of the Rohingyas is alien altogether. Even during the 2013 arrival of Rohingyas, the government struggled to get a statement from them and finally had to fly down a Rohingyan interpreter.
Unlike other refugee who could be deported, Sri Lanka that has given Rohingyas shelter have no choice but to help them seek asylum and accommodate them. (Under the 1951 Refugee Convention Sri Lanka cannot accommodate refugees).
Cost
The government officials say the cost to accommodate boatpeople or for that matter any asylum seeker has to be spend out of government coffers.
For the group of Rohingyas who are detained in Mirihana there is a cost till the court hearing is over. An adult needs about Rs. 250 for food on daily basis and the 11 odd underaged children need food, biscuits and milk powder.
"The court hearing does not mean that they are granted asylum at all," notes an official. Under any circumstances they are 'not' going to stay in Sri Lanka for too long."
As it is only a week since they stepped on the shores of Sri Lanka, the Rohingyas' court hearing on 16 May, the court will decide their fate and the officials do not know if they would be even be handed over to the UNHCR as it did before. "It depends on the court whether to handover to the UNHCR or not".
Cluttered
The Mirihana detention camp is getting cluttered and there isn't much space to accommodate these people. According to the official who spoke under anonymity, the 2013 set of Rohingyas many of them were transferred to Boossa camp.
If the UNHCR is granted permission to take over the asylum seekers then they offer accommodation and food till the paper work to send them on refugee status is finalized.
The officials said there is intense screening process for the asylum seekers especially from Pakistan and a serious diplomatic dialogue the governments concerned is held mainly to deport them. The government has been helping to get air tickets to deport most of the asylum seekers who have come to Sri Lanka by air. "If they are granted asylum till they are resettled elsewhere, the government does not allow them to be employed anywhere and if anyone is found guilty of such offence, they could be detained again and deported. There are some persons who are detained for misusing their status in Sri Lanka, the official noted.
The government is 'serious' when asylum seekers apply for visa for Sri Lanka. Their details are closely screened and 'anyone coming to Sri Lanka need a local sponsor'.
At the moment the government is trying to get down a Rohingya interpreter before next court hearing.
When asked whether Sri Lanka is free from foreign asylum seekers coming into Sri Lanka, an official said, "We can, by and large curtail asylum seekers who come to the Bandaranaike International Airport, but controlling boatpeople is only possible with the strictest punishment ordered to the smugglers who bring them here."
621 REFUGEES ARE RESIDING IN SRI LANKA – UNHCR
UNHCR Colombo response to few queries from Ceylon Today:
?: How many foreign refugees are stationed in Sri Lanka hoping to go to the West?
A: At present there are 621 refugees residing in Sri Lanka of whom, the majority are from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Not all will be resettled into Western countries.
?: How many Pakistani Muslims are currently in Sri Lanka?
A: There are 485 refugees of Pakistan origin living in Sri Lanka and they are of different religious affiliations.
?: Lately, there are Rohingiya Muslims who arrived in the country. Did the UNHCR register them?
A: UNHCR has requested for formal access from the respective government authorities to ascertain the international protection needs of the 30 Myanmar nationals who are currently detained in Mirihana and Jaffna.
?: What is your plan for them?
A: UNHCR will decide on the best course of action following an assessment of the group's international protection needs.
Assistant Controller Department of Immigration and Emigration A. H. Lakshan de Soysa, on the current status on foreign asylum seekers living in Sri Lanka pointed out that there is a decline of foreign nationals arriving in Sri Lanka.
He noted that in 2013 there were 1,800 foreign nationals including persons arriving in boats and now it's brought down to 1, 200 after many were granted refugee status in other countries.
According to the Immigration and Emigration Department statistics, the total number of persons who have received refugee status and awaiting to leave Sri Lanka are as follows:
Pakistanis: 490, Afghans: 9, Bangladeshis 4, Iranian : 1 ,Maldivians: 8, Rohingyas: 4 (2013 batch), Palestinians : 9, Somaliyans: 8, Tunisian: 1 and Yemini: 1.
As of March 31, 2017 the total number of Assylum Seekers stationed in Sri Lanka, are as follows:
Pakistanis: 451, Afghans: 93, Iranians: 10, Yemenis: 11, Rohingya: 1, Syrians: 6
Pix by Pratheepan T.(jaffna)
