The truth as seen by UNHCR

At a time when UN Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon is planning to haul Sri Lanka over the coals for alleged human rights violation it comes as paradox that a UN agency under him has given the country a ringing endorsement on its peace building efforts and efforts to improve human rights.

The UNHCR releasing its latest report on July 5 titled 'Eligibility guidelines for Assessing the International Protection needs of Asylum Seekers from Sri Lanka' states that the human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka has improved," and goes on to mention the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission' set by the President to heal the wounds of the past.

This contradiction was highlighted in the report of the UN Refugee Agency as an item to show that Northern Tamils can no longer qualify for refugee status with the country's rapid return to peace.

That asylum seekers from Sri Lanka have dropped from 4,573 in the first half of 2009 by almost half that figure to 2,947 during the same period in 2010. It amply supports the contention of the UNHCR.

The early stages of the ethnic conflict saw a gradual exodus of Northern Tamils to Western countries who provided them with refuge on grounds of discrimination. The trickle became a flow which eventually led to a deluge with unfortunate events of July 83.

True, this also provided an ideal opportunity for the economic refugees among the Tamils to better their lot in the developed West whose motives were not entirely altruistic but seized the opportunity to put Sri Lanka in the dog house. Certain politicians at the time too it must be said played into the hands of these external forces by fanning the flames of communal disharmony.

The exodus snowballed with the gradual intensification of the war going on to create a powerful Tamil Diaspora that provided the moral strength and financial backing to the LTTE that went on to prolong the war. Today, this Diaspora is still active and are in the process of declaring a transitional Government in exile. It has to be accepted that they are a product of the misguided policies and ham fisted approaches of the rulers of that era.

Be that as it may the heavy influx of Tamil refugees post July 83 set the stage for the LTTE to go from strength to strength leading to the loss of thousands of additional lives. It also helped fund the massive LTTE war chest taking it that much longer to see an end to the war. Now with war over it is evident that some countries which accepted the Tamil refugees with open arms are taking a tougher stand. The many criminal activities that are frequently reported and the clandestine networks that are being operated in the host countries have also gone on to help change attitudes. The recent crack down on Tamil criminal gangs, the spate of arrests and detention of LTTE operatives have also demonstrated this toughening of stand.

Now the UNHCR too has joined forces and taken a stand against a free granting of refugee status to the Northern Tamils. It says that given the cessation of hostilities Sri Lankans in the North are no longer in need of international protection under broader refugee criteria or complementary forms of protection solely on the basis of risk of indiscriminate harm. As mentioned the UN Refugee Agency further goes on to say that human rights and security situation in Sri Lanka has improved. (It is hoped that the European Union will take note of this clean Bill of health conferred on Sri Lanka by this premier UN agency and rethink its decision to withdraw the GSP plus facility).

What is worthy to note is that the UN agency has appreciated that Sri Lanka is taking appropriate measures for the transformation of the country to a peace time agenda and has not hesitated to mention the establishment of a 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission mandated to examine the lessons learnt from events between February 2002 and May 2009.'

This endorsement given by the UN Refugee Agency that Tamils no longer need refugee status is a clear message to the international community that things are not what they appear to be to them and that the climate that led to the creation of refugees no longer exist in Sri Lanka. This has also freed the stigma hitherto attached to Sri Lanka of being a country of refugees.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa no doubt deserves all the credit for this transformation and with all IDPs to be resettled by the end of this year, there can be no more talk of refugees. It is also an opportune time for those who left the country to return harking to the President's invitation to all Sri Lankans abroad to be partners of the country's development drive in his quest to make it the wonder of Asia.