RESTRICTED
35
U01233 MDLIAN 6281
HUD 243/11 но
RESTRICTED FM COLOMBO
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 239
OF 10090OZ MAY 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, NEW DELHI, OSLO
INFO SAVING MADRAS
MY TELNO 216 (NOT TO ALL).
EUROPEAN CONSULTATIONS ON ASYLUM-SEEKERS: UNHCR WORKING GROUP ON TAMIL ASYLUM-SEEKERS
SUMMARY
1. UNHCR MEETING ITS TARGET OF RETURNING REFUGEES TO SRI LANKA FROM INDIA, BUT CLAIMS THAT FUNDING SHORTFALL MAY PREJUDICE COMPLETION OF PROGRAMME. SHIFT IN UNHCR POLICY ON RETURN OF SRI LANKAN TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM EUROPE CONFIRMED.
DETAIL
2. DR SAMPATKUMAR (HEAD OF UNHCR SOUTH ASIA BUREAU) GAVE A BRIEFING ON 9 MAY ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF EC MISSIONS, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, UNITED STATES, JAPAN, SWEDEN, NORWAY, SWITZERLAND, WHO, UNDP, AND NGOS. SAMPATKUMAR CIRCULATED
(A) STATISTICS OF REFUGEES WHO HAD RETURNED TO SRI LANKA FROM INDIA (24,639 TO 7 MAY):
(B) UNHCR'S BUDGET IN SRI LANKA (US DOLLARS 13,400,000 TOTAL,
US DOLLARS 11,000,000 COMMITTED
US DOLLARS 4,500,000 PLEDGED US DOLLARS 8,900,000 SHORTFALL)
AND (C) A A PAPER STATING UNHCR'S LATEST POSITION ON SRI LANKAN TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKERS IN EUROPE (TEXT IN MIFT).
3. OF THE 24,639 (PARA 1 ABOVE) 12,639 HAD RETURNED UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES AND AN ESTIMATED 12,000 INDEPENDENTLY. UNHCR EXPECTED
-
A FURTHER 3,500 TO HAVE RETURNED BY MID-MAY, AT THE RATE OF 1,000 1,200 PER WEEK BY SAILINGS ONCE A WEEK EACH TO MANNAR AND JAFFNA (KANKESANTURAI). THEREAFTER THERE WERE ANOTHER 10,000 TO BE RETURNED FROM CAMP S IN INDIA AND OF THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE CAMPS 10,000 MORE HAD SO FAR REGISTERED TO RETURN. ANOTHER 20,000 INTERNALLY DISPLACED REFUGESS WITHIN SRI LANKA (INCLUDING
·
1
PAGE RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.