The UNHCR said Sri Lanka's deportation of the refugees back to the places where they fled from is a violation of international law and called on the Sri Lankan government to immediately halt deportations.
Source/Credit: Colombo Page
By News Desk | September 29, 2014
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Monday upholding a lower court Ruling dismissed a plea sought to stop the deportation of Pakistani and Afghan asylum seekers in Sri Lanka.
Following the ruling by the Court of Appeals on September 01 which allowed the Sri Lankan government to resume deportations of the asylum seekers back to the countries they fled from, six human rights defenders petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge the deportations.
The petitioners argued that the decision taken by the government to deport the asylum seekers was illegal and endangered their lives.
The counsel representing the government argued that the government has every right to deport foreign nationals staying in the country without valid visa.
The government argued that the government has no responsibility to them as Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, although it offers asylum to a considerable number of refugees.
After considering the arguments from both sides the three-member bench of the apex court ruled that facts were insufficient to hear the petition.
Sri Lanka said last month that there are over 1500 Pakistani, and Afghan nationals who were staying in the country illegally draining the island's resources.
The government said the influx of asylum seekers, mostly Pakistanis has resulted in serious law and order, security, as well as health related issues for the authorities while the country is burdened and the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR is too slow to process their cases and resettle them.
The UNHCR said Sri Lanka's deportation of the refugees back to the places where they fled from is a violation of international law and called on the Sri Lankan government to immediately halt deportations.
The government resumed arrests and deportations from September 03 after the Court of Appeals gave permission to detain and deport the asylum seekers back to the countries from where they fled.
According to the UNHCR, Sri Lanka is bound by observance of the of non-refoulement law which prohibits the return of refugees to territory where they face danger.
Read original post here: Sri Lanka: Supreme Court rejects petition to halt deportation of asylum seekers
This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Ahmadiyya Times.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comments. Any comments irrelevant to the post's subject matter, containing abuses, and/or vulgar language will not be approved.