5,391 Lankans return from Lebanon

After the UN backed truce helped to quieten the guns in Lebanon the Sri Lankan migrant workers issue will ease. Officials at the Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) said that 5,391 Sri Lankans have returned since the war broke out.

Chairman Jagath Wellewatta said 340 persons returned on Friday and another 650 persons are in Damascus waiting to return. They are the last batch that will get special arrangements to leave Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry officials said that the number of Sri Lankans who reported to the embassy to return has reduced by one-third after the ceasefire. Wellewatta said that there will be many people who want to return from the war torn areas in Lebanon where evacuation was difficult.

There were a large number of people who stayed in Lebanon illegally due to their visas expiring. Some of them returned using relaxed emigration rules under the war situation. However, now those who want to return will have to follow the normal procedure.

Wellewatta said that there is no compensation program for migrant workers in Lebanon who were affected. Countries where their citizens are working in Lebanon requested the International Organisation for Migrants (IOM) to work out a compensation program. But the chances of getting compensation are slim.

In Kuwait war compensation was paid by the UN and money was provided by the Iraqi government. But this time Israel will not fund compensation and the Lebanon government is not in a position to provide money. Nobody will force Israel to pay compensation, he said.