June 03, Colombo (LNW): The government is preparing to dismantle longstanding legal obstacles that have hindered the return of citizens who fled the country during the protracted civil conflict with the LTTE and have since been living as refugees in India.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala announced that preliminary steps are already underway to revise existing immigration and emigration regulations.
These changes are intended to support the reintegration of thousands of displaced individuals who sought safety in Tamil Nadu during the years of violence that engulfed Sri Lanka’s north.
Many of these individuals have spent decades in Indian refugee camps, unable to return to their homeland due to restrictive legal frameworks. Minister Wijepala acknowledged that the current laws present significant barriers to re-entry and resettlement.
He confirmed that a Cabinet proposal aimed at amending these legal provisions is in preparation and will soon be presented for formal approval.
Meanwhile, authorities in Talaimannar have detained three individuals who arrived from India by sea, underscoring the urgency of legal reforms. The group—a young couple aged 24 and their toddler—reportedly made the journey from Rameswaram. Police investigations indicate they originally fled Sri Lanka by boat in May 2023 and were attempting to return outside official channels due to the legal constraints still in place.
