Colombo : The government has announced plans to swiftly revise existing legal policies following the detention of a UNHCR-certified returning refugee from India, who was held by Immigration officials at Palaly Airport and later remanded by the Mallakam Magistrate’s Court until June 5th.
The incident sparked criticism, with former MP M. A. Sumanthiran questioning whether the move was intended to intimidate over 10,000 others who have registered to return. In a tweet, he highlighted the refugee’s official certification and clearance, raising concerns over the government’s approach.
However, Minister Bimal Ratnayake clarified that the detention was not government policy but an automatic application of the country’s remaining old laws. He explained that individuals who originally emigrated through “non-legalized ports” were still subject to outdated legal provisions, despite efforts to assist refugees in the past.
“We visited refugee camps in India in 2007 and pioneered a law in 2008 granting citizenship to 28,500 Sri Lankans in those camps,” Ratnayake stated. “This incident is due to the automatic application of the law to those who left through unauthorized means. The law could have been changed after the war if concerned parties had worked on it.”
The minister further revealed that he had spoken with the subject Minister Ananda Wijepala, who assured immediate action to revise the policy.
