Sri Lanka beckons, but for refugees in Tamil Nadu, a long road to ‘homecoming’

A long-standing legal barrier has been removed in Sri Lanka, allowing refugees who fled the civil war without proper documentation to return home. The decision, made by the Lankan government, permits these individuals to enter through an authorised port after being cleared by the State Intelligence Service. This move has been welcomed by the UN as a step towards "safe and dignified return" of Sri Lankan people.

However, for the nearly 90,000 Sri Lankan refugees currently residing in India, the decision to return is not as straightforward. Over 58,000 of them live in 103 camps spread across Tamil Nadu, while another 30,000 are outside the camps. Mahendran, a refugee who has lived in Tamil Nadu for 36 years, highlights the challenges of returning, such as housing, employment, and his children's education.

While Sri Lanka has offered resettlement assistance, including housing and livelihood support, the new decision does not specify any new package. Only a small number of refugees have returned over the past two years, indicating a lack of enthusiasm. The primary reasons for this reluctance are Sri Lanka's ongoing economic crisis and uncertainty about livelihoods.

The UN and Sri Lanka's government hope that the new policy will encourage more refugees to return as the political situation in Sri Lanka has improved for Tamil people. However, concerns about the military presence in the north and unresolved land disputes persist.