Tamils protest against Sri Lanka's plan to deport Rohingya refugees

Eelam Tamils have demanded that a group of Rohingya asylum seekers who were fleeing persecution in Myanmar are not deported back to persecution, as they demonstrated in Mullaitivu today.

The North-East Coordinating Committee (NECC), in solidarity with local women’s community-based organisations, human rights defenders, fisher societies, and journalists, called on the Sri Lankan government to uphold its international obligations under humanitarian law and respect the core principle of non-refoulement.

“We urge the Sri Lankan government to ensure the safety and well-being of these refugees by not sending them back to the country from which they fled — a country that does not recognise them as citizens. The principle of non-refoulement is enshrined in international law and prohibits the return of individuals to places where they face threats to their life or freedom,” read a statement from the NECC.

The protests come after the Sri Lankan government announced its intention to deport the refugees back to Myanmar, despite their stateless status and the precarious conditions they face in their home country. Ananda Wijepala, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security, publicly confirmed on 3 January that the government was in discussions with Myanmar authorities, exploring the possibility of deportation pending legal processes.

The refugees, who include 25 children, were rescued from a distressed boat by local fishermen in the Mullaitivu district, who provided assistance to the stranded individuals and informed the Sri Lankan Navy.

However, concerns have been raised about their current detention. Since 23 December, the refugees have been held at the occupying Keppapulavu Air Force base in Mullaitivu, far from the supervision of rights groups or independent organisations. Sheltering refugees in a militarised environment has been deemed incompatible with international humanitarian standards. The NECC has called for their immediate transfer to a civilian-managed refugee centre in Mirihana or another suitable location, ensuring proper oversight and protection.

“We believe Sri Lanka, as a member of the United Nations, has an obligation to respect the rights and dignity of these refugees,” said the NECC. “Sheltering them in a military base violates the basic principles of human rights and exposes them to further risks.”

Despite their claims of being victims of human trafficking, the Sri Lankan authorities’ actions remain controversial. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra has stated that the refugees were rescued and accepted in accordance with international conventions, and that the government is investigating their circumstances. However, the government's refusal to allow human rights activists, journalists, and other independent bodies to assess the condition of the refugees has fuelled concerns about a lack of transparency.

Ruki Fernando, a prominent Sri Lankan human rights activist, has strongly criticised the government's plan, emphasising that the refugees are stateless and should not be sent back to a country that has persecuted them. “These are people who have already suffered immensely. They fled a military junta that does not recognise their existence,” Fernando said. “How can we send them back to a place where they will face further violence and abuse?”

Mujibur Rahman, an opposition parliamentarian from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power), also voiced his opposition to the deportation. In a letter to Sri Lanka’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Rahman urged the government to act in accordance with Sri Lanka’s commitment to human rights and communal harmony. “These people are not criminals,” Rahman wrote. “They are survivors. Sri Lanka must stand with those who are vulnerable, not send them back to harm.”

See the full text of the letter from the NECC below

On this day of 09th January 2025, we the North-East Coordinating Committee (NECC), along with representatives of women’s community-based organizations, human rights defenders, members of fisher societies and journalists jointly appeal the Sri-Lankan government not to deport the Rohingya refugees who were rescued by the Sri-Lankan Navy on 19th December 2024.

We appreciate the immediate actions taken by of the local fishers of Mullaitivu district who initially seen the boat with people and informed to the Navy and provided immediate assistance to the people. We also respect the actions taken by the Sri-Lankan Navy to rescue the lives of these refugees.

Sri-Lanka is a member state of the United Nations. Therefore, we are obliged to respect the principles of the United Nations and abide to the international humanitarian laws, human rights laws and customary international laws. NON REFOULMENT is a core principle of these laws. Therefore, we appeal the Sri-Lankan government to uphold the humanitarian values and not to deport those refugees to their place of origin.

Further, the refugees are located inside the Keppapulavu Airforce base in Mullaithivu district for more than two weeks without the observation of the respective district’s civil administration. Sheltering the refugees under a militarized environment is incompatible with the international humanitarian norms and basic human values. Therefore, we urge the government to transfer the refugees to the refugee center in Mirihana or another suitable place and keep them under the observation of the civil administration of the area.

As Sri-Lanka is a developing country we do not promote Sri-Lanka to become a hub of international refugees. We basically request the government to treat the present refugees according to the international standards related to refugees. We also request the government to get the assistance of the United Nations and to speak with eligible countries to provide them refugee status in those countries.

 

North-East Coordinating Committee (NECC)

Sri-Lanka

9th January 2024

Cc:

1.       The Hon Prime Minister of Sri-Lanka

2.       The Hon Foreign Minister of Sri-Lanka

3.       The United Nations Residential Representative for Sri-Lanka

4.       The National Human Rights Commission of Sri-Lanka