9.
For the first session the Sri Lankan ambassador in Geneva was present together with Mr Hocké. UNHCR's Mr Sampatkumar had, as usual, just returned from Sri Lanka. He reported:
10.
UNHCR offices in Colombo, Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee are functioning normally. Housing and vocational training programmes are in operation
UNHCR
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organised returns from Southern India will begin again in late February or March. The first batch will go to Colombo, via a northern port
it was uncertain how many more Tamils would wish to
return from India. Some 40,000 already had and UNHCR were
planning for 15-20,000 in 1989
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no programme returnee has "suffered any hardship"
there is good co-operation with the authorities despite continuing unsettled conditions and "room for cautious optimism".
He
The Ambassador's tone was also one of cautions optimism. emphasised the average 60% turnout in the general election, devolution to provincial governments as a key to defusing Tamil grievances and the return of many former militants to the political process. He felt President Premadasa's controversial plans for a "poverty alleviation programme" (involving substantial grants to the poor, with part invested on their behalf) was particularly relevant to returnees and
reconstruction. There was no prospect of immediate IPKF withdrawal; this would be gradual as local security forces were built up under the provincial councils. Asked about the
government's attitude to the return of asylum seekers from Europe, the Ambassador said the priorities were still those
displaced internally and in India but individuals who wanted to
go back were welcome.
harassed.
There was no evidence of returnees being
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