'SL workers in Syria not in immediate danger'

by Manjula FERNANDO

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Lebanon says there have been no reports so far of Sri Lankans being killed or injured in the fighting in Syria.

"The Embassy is in contact with 57 Sri Lankans still remaining in Syria. Their repatriation will be facilitated if the need arises," Sri Lankan Ambassador in Lebanon Ranjith Gunaratna told the Sunday Observer last evening.

"These workers mostly employed by INGOs and diplomatic missions based in Syria, are in central Damascus and they are not in immediate danger," he said.

"About 10-15 of them don't have enough money with them to buy airline tickets. We have directed them to reach the Lebanese border which is about a 2 hour drive from the central Damascus. From there we have made facilities to transport them here and provide temporary accommodation till they can be sent home."

He said about 22 people who were from the areas where the intense fighting took place have abandoned their jobs and gone to central Damascus but the others in less affected areas are still working. The said 22 have been accommodated in different places in Damascus.

The Embassy has contacted the International Organization for Migrants (IOM), International Labour Organization (ILO), Caritas and the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to get support to bring them down.

The Ambassador said there were nearly 1,000 Sri Lankans with families in Syria, a few months back, but after the fighting broke out almost all have fled the country.

The Sri Lankan mission is also vigilant over the fighting taking place in border villages within Lebanon between the groups supporting the Syrian regime and their opponents. We are on alert and the people will be evacuated if there is a need," Ambassador Gunaratna said.

According to unofficial data there are about 85,000 Sri Lanka workers in Lebanon, mostly unskilled domestic workers.