A group of 83 refugees returned to Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu last Thursday through the process facilitated by the Colombo office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Those who returned to the country are from Vavuniya, Mannar, Matale, Mulaithivu, Trincomalee and Jaffna. The UNHCR had provided the returning IDPs free air tickets for their return and they would also be provided dry rations for six months until they get their lives back on track and also a livelihood allowance of not more than Rs. 100,000.
62,000 Sri Lankans still lamenting in around 107 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu and another 38,000 living with relatives and friends in India.
So far 11,020 refugees have returned to the country from Tamil Nadu since 2009.
The government had issued an open invitation to all Sri Lankans who had fled the country, to return home, assuring them that the government was taking all possible measures to establish peace and reconciliation among all Sri Lankans.
Accordingly, the UNHCR had facilitated the return of these refugees who had willingly volunteered to return home. the Prime Minister's Office stated that another 3815 Sri Lankan refugees in India have expressed their willingness to return home.