A group of Sri Lankan refugees returned to their homeland from India by a ferry, the first such batch to arrive in the country through sea route, officials said on Thursday.
The refugees numbering 37, who belonged to 15 families, arrived at the Colombo port yesterday from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu on board Scotia Prince ferry, the officials said.
They were welcomed by Sri Lankan Minister for Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa upon their arrival.
Sri Lanka refugees return home from India by ferry
Their return under the auspices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was part of a voluntary, facilitated repatriation programme, supported by the governments of both India and Sri Lanka.
Up to now, the refugees had returned to Sri Lanka from India by air. The transport by ferry is significant as it allows them to bring their possessions, the UNHCR said. The Tuticorin-Colombo ferry service, which runs twice weekly, was commenced in June.
The UN agency says that since the conflict ended in May 2009, Sri Lankan refugees have been steadily returning to their home country, mainly from India and some other countries.
Over 1,400 refugees have returned so far this year, compared to 2,054 refugees in 2010.
Sri Lanka refugees return home from India by ferry
The refugees, upon their return to the country, receive a reintegration grant and transport allowance to help them get back to their homes.
Once the returnees reach their final destination in the country, they can approach one of UNHCRs five offices in the North and East to obtain a kit of basic household supplies.
UNHCRs most recent statistics showed that there were 141,063 Sri Lankan refugees in 65 countries, with the majority in India, followed by France, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Malaysia, the United States and Italy. -PTI