Lanka Tamils should no longer be presumed refugees: UN

The report titled ‘Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Asylum-Seekers from Sri Lanka’,released on Monday attributed its new assessment due to improvement in the human rights and security situation since the end of the three-decade-old war.

The war against the LTTE peaked last year,destroying the Tigers’ northern stronghold,and forcing lakhs of people to flee from their homes.

“In light of the improved human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka,there is no longer a need for group-based protection mechanisms or for a presumption of eligibility for Sri Lankans of Tamil ethnicity originating from the north of the country,” the UNHCR report states.

It also noted that the end of the armed conflict has resulted in reduction in the number of Sri Lankans seeking international protection in industrialised countries.

During the period from January to June 2010,2,947 asylum applications have been registered – compared to 4,573 applications registered during the same period in 2009 – representing a 35 per cent decrease,the report said.

However,it said the situation though improved is far from normal and that claims by Sri Lankan asylum seekers should be considered on their individual merits.

“UNHCR considers that the current situation in Sri Lanka,although significantly improved in the last 12 months,does not yet warrant cessation of refugee status on the basis of Article 1C(5) of the 1951 Convention.

“Claims by persons suspected of having links with the LTTE may,however,give rise to the need to examine possible exclusion from refugee status,” the report states.

The security situation in Sri Lanka had significantly stabilised,paving the way for a lasting solution for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country’s north and east,the report said.

“Many of the initial restrictions on the freedom of movement of IDPs have been lifted,” it said.

The UNHCR report said about 2.46 lakh persons had left displacement camps to return to their places of origin or live with host families,relatives and friends.

Restrictions on freedom of movement have also been eased due to the improved security situation,it says.