Sri Lankan refugees in India to be allowed voluntary return under new framework

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved measures to facilitate the voluntary return of Sri Lankans who fled to India during Sri Lanka’s war without valid travel documents and were later registered as refugees.

According to the government, many of these individuals, confirmed as Sri Lankan nationals through diplomatic missions in India and the UNHCR, now wish to return home. 

Legal advice from the Attorney General guided the framework for their re‑entry. Under the approved proposal presented by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs:

The government states that the policy balances humanitarian considerations with national security, ensuring returning refugees can reintegrate while safeguarding the country’s legal framework. (Newswire)