COLOMBO : A group of 47 civil societies have appealed to the government if SRI Lankan to provide humanitarian asylum to the Myanmar Rohingya Refugees in Sri Lanka,
A letter addressed to President, Prime Minister, and Ministers, says : ” you We are writing to you with a sincere and urgent appeal regarding the recent arrival of Rohingya asylum seekers from Myanmar in Sri Lanka.
On morning of December 19, 2024, a multi-day trawler carrying over 100 Rohingya asylum seekers drifted towards the coast off Mullivaikkal in Mullaitivu. The boat was escorted by the Sri Lankan Navy to the Ashraf Jetty in Trincomalee Harbour later in the evening of the day same and landed in Trincomalee on December 20, 2024. The asylum seekers were initially cared for by public officers and NGOs and were hosted at Jamalia School in Trincomalee. Subsequently, they were brought before the Trincomalee Magistrate. In court, the refugees explained that they had come to Sri Lanka seeking asylum. They had left in three boats, but only one reached Sri Lanka carried 115 people, including 103 asylum seekers and 12 men who had brought them here. The court ordered that the 12 men be remanded, while the 103 asylum seekers were to be sent to the Mirihana Detention Centre. The initial attempt to transfer them to Mirihana failed, as immigration officers were not prepared to accept them. Since then, we have heard that they were to be transferred to Mirihana on the morning of December 23, but were directed to be detained in an Air Force camp in Mullaitivu (Keppapulavu).
Allowing asylum seekers to land in Sri Lanka and provision of emergency assistance by the Navy, government officials and citizens and NGOs in Mullaitheevu and Trincomalee is commendable. However, we are concerned about long hours they were kept at sea and frequent changes in deciding the place they are to be housed and news that they will be detained.
The stories of these refugees are heart-wrenching. They left Myanmar in three boats, and only one made it to Sri Lanka’s shores. Tragically, six people, including four children, died of hunger during the journey, and their bodies had to be thrown into the sea. The refugees also shared that they had been repatriated to Myanmar’s Rakhine State but were forced to flee again due to the violence and targeted elimination of their community.
These refugees have fled violence, persecution, and human rights abuses in Myanmar. Now, they seek safety and a dignified life in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and has not historically been a major destination for asylum seekers and refugees. But successive Sri Lankan governments have maintained a policy and practice of tolerating temporary stay of asylum seekers and refugees based on an agreement between the Sri Lankan government and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Most of asylum seekers and refugees in Sri Lanka have been Ahmadis and Christians from Pakistan, Hazare from Afghanistan as well Rohingya from Myanmar. Until this year, Sri Lanka had a UNHCR office that assisted asylum seekers and refugees during their stay, facilitating their permanent resettlement to other countries.
The Rohingya people are a stateless ethnic group who have been denied citizenship and basic human rights in Myanmar. Many of them have been living as refugees in Bangladesh since 2017, and their return to Myanmar has proven extremely difficult. Their plight has been widely recognized by international organizations, including the United Nations, and the international community has repeatedly called for action to address their suffering. UNHCR has underscored the importance of providing safety, shelter, and protection to those fleeing such brutal circumstances.
As a country with a rich history of hospitality and compassion, we strongly urge the Sri Lankan Government to extend its protection and support to the Myanmar Rohingya asylum seekers, ensuring , rights guaranteed under international law and the Sri Lankan constitution.
Additionally, we urge the government to request UNHCR to reopen its office in Sri Lanka with a full mandate, as this will likely be a recurring issue given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region. These asylum seekers and refugees, many of whom are women, children, and the elderly, have endured unimaginable suffering—from violent attacks and displacement to the destruction of their homes and communities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, and the perilous journey they undertook by sea to reach Sri Lanka.
We kindly request that the Sri Lankan Government:
Ensure the protection and support of these refugees in accordance with international law.
Facilitate their temporary stay in Sri Lanka in a manner that ensures their dignity, safety, and access to essential services, such housing, food, as healthcare, education, and employment.
Cooperate with other countries, UNHCR, and other relevant international organizations to ensure the rights and well-being of the asylum seekers and refugees and find long-term solutions including permanent resettlement.
Educate and sensitize local communities about the plight of the Rohingya and other asylum seekers and refugees to promote peaceful integration and prevent discrimination.
Continue to engage with the international community to seek a lasting solution for the Rohingya and other persecuted communities that seek asylum and refuge in Sri Lanka.
We Sri Lankans must never forget that we have been a refugee-sending country as well. Our people have gone through similar situations in the past. This also reminds us of the need to develop a comprehensive refugee policy that aligns with international human rights standards.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent humanitarian issue.
Sincerely,
Endorsed by:
Affected Women’s Forum – Ampara
Ambitious Institution for Moral Generation – Trincomalee
Alliance Development Trust
Asanbay Society for Social Justice
At Humanity – Sri Lanka
Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
Center for Youth and Social Development- Galle
Change Humanitarian Organisation
Climate Action Now – Sri Lanka
Community Welfare and Development Fund
Dabindu Collective
Eastern Forum for Resource Development.
Eastern Social Development Foundation (ESDF)
Families of the Disappeared
Feminist Alliance for Rights
Free Media Movement
Human Elevation Organization (HEO)
Ampara District Alliance for Land Rights (ADALR)
International Forum for Young Pioneers
Islamic Women’s Association for Research and Empowerment
Kinniya Cultural Centre.
Kinniya Majlis As Shoorah
Kinniya Predesiya Saba Mosque Federation.
Kinniya Urban Mosque Federation
Mannar Women’s Development Federation (MWDF)
Minority Professional Hub
Muslim Women Development Trust – Puttalam
Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO)
Puttalam District Women’s Self Employment and Coexistence Forum
Rainbow Pillars for Creativity
Rural Development Foundation
SHED Foundation – Eravur
Sisterhood Initiative
Social Equality Development Organization
South Asia Women in Media – Sri Lanka Chapter
Stand Up Movement
Stop Child Cruelty Trust
Suriya Women’s Development Centre- Batticaloa
Trincomalee District Mosque Federation.
Trincomalee District Traders Welfare Society.
Trincomalee District Women Forum
Trincomalee District YMMA Association
Women Change Makers Network,”
Women’s Action Network
Young Lawyer’s Association
Young Women Christian Association