The UK Home Office issued a new asylum country guidance report on ‘Tamil Separatism’ on Thursday, drawing on several reports detailing human rights violations by Sri Lanka against Tamil separatists and people that are perceived to be.
The report provides “guidance to Home Office decision makers on handling [asylum] claims made by nationals/residents of - as well as country of origin information (COI) about – Sri Lanka”.
In its summary, the Home Office says that “being of Tamil ethnicity would not in itself warrant international protection”, even if the person proves “past membership or connection to the LTTE”.
However someone “perceived to be a threat to the State”, by having or perceived to be having a “significant role in relation to post-conflict Tamil separatism within the diaspora and/or a renewal of hostilities within Sri Lanka” are considered at risk and asylum will normally be appropriate.
The summary further held that participating in Diaspora activities such as attending protests “in itself is not considered evidence that a person is a committed Tamil activist seeking to promote Tamil separatism”, and that cases should be considered on the available evidence.
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