THE BRITISH REFUGEE COUNCIL
Chairman: SIR ARTHUR PETERSON, KCB, MVO.
Vice Chairmen:
SIR LESLIE KIRKLEY, CBE
KENNETH LEE
Honorary Treasurers: A. H. CHAPMAN, FCA H. A. SHAW, OBE
Director: MARTIN BARBER, Ph. D.
His Excellency Mr A T Moorthy
High Commission for the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 13 Hyde Park Gardens
London W2 2LX
7 February 1985
BONDWAY HOUSE, 3/9, BONDWAY, LONDON, SW8 1SJ.
Telephone: 01-582 6922
Cables: BREFCON, LONDON, SW8.
Dear High Commissioner
I am writing to you as Chairman of the Asia Committee of the British Refugee Council concerning a report in the "Tamil Times" (November 1984) of a statement at a press conference by the Sri Lankan Minister of Bational Security, Mr Lalith Athulathaudall, that all Tamil refugees returning to Sri Lanka from countries where their request for refugee status had been refused would be arrested on arrival at Colombo. I enclose a copy of the press cutting.
The Committee was greatly concerned by this report. I would be most grateful if you
could let me have:
1) confirmation, or otherwise, that such a statement was made;
2)
a statement as to whether any Tamils have been arrested on these grounds; 3) a statement as to whether this state of affairs obtains at present
A reply on these questions would be most helpful to the Committee.
Yours sincerely
Lord Ennals
Chairman
Asla Committee
Registered under the Charities Act 1960 No. 283993
The British Refugee Council incorporates the British Council for Aid to Refugees and the Standing Conference on Refugees.
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