UNHCR encouraged by Canada's handling of Tamil boat people case
17 August 2010
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 17 August 2010, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR continues to follow the developing situation of 490 Sri Lankan nationals of Tamil origin, former passengers of the cargo ship MV Sun Sea which docked at Vancouver Island in British Columbia last Friday. According to our staff in British Columbia, all 490 passengers have claimed asylum.
Based on what we have seen thus far, we commend the exemplary work of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in coordinating the arrival and reception of the MV Sun Sea passengers. The reception site was well designed, and needs in terms of information gathering, food and water have been well anticipated. In addition, the priorities for safe disembarkation of the ship were clearly defined with medical needs topping the list for those on board, who include men, women and children.
UNHCR supports the important work of law enforcement agencies in combating human smuggling, an issue that has received much attention in relation to the MV Sun Sea case. It is nonetheless important to recognize that while refugees and migrants might use the same means of transportation, sometimes illegal, refugees are a distinct group with critical protection needs. It is not a crime to seek asylum.
UNHCR recognizes the considerable challenges that disembarkation and the processing of people from MV Sun Sea will entail. We will be following these activities on an ad-hoc basis to help compliance with the relevant provisions for treatment of persons seeking asylum and refugee status.
In the case of Sri Lanka, UNHCR has recently issued revised guidelines to assist decision-makers in reviewing claims to asylum. Those guidelines include our recommendation that in light of the improved security situation since the end of Sri Lanka's conflict in May 2009, claims by asylum seekers from that country should be considered on their individual merits rather than on a group basis.
According to UNHCR's most recent statistics, there are a total of 146,098 Sri Lanka refugees in 64 countries. India (73,269), France (20,464), Canada (19,143), Germany (12,248), United Kingdom (8,615), Switzerland (2,836), Malaysia (2,132), Australia (2,070), United States (1,561) and Italy (964) are the top 10 countries hosting Sri Lankan refugees. There are also 7,562 Sri Lankan asylum seekers known to UNHCR in 57 countries. The top ten countries hosting Sri Lankan asylum-seekers are: Switzerland, Malaysia, Canada, Germany, Norway, Thailand, US, Netherlands, Japan and Australia. Last year, 34,000 new asylum seekers submitted their claims in Canada.
3 Comments
''end of Sri Lanka's conflict in May 2009''
UNHCR misleads the world.
Only military assaults have ended, but not the conflict.
At least accordig to what I have been reading in these pages, the conflict is being inflamed by what the government has been doing.
The UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic, Thank you for your encouraging and helpful comments by commending the exemplary work of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in coordinating the arrival and reception of the MV Sun Sea passengers. The reception site was well designed, and needs in terms of information gathering, food and water have been well anticipated. In addition, the priorities for safe disembarkation of the ship were clearly defined with medical needs topping the list for those on board, who include men, women and children. The Tamil Diaspora joins you to thank the Canadian government profusely. Tamils from the boat will now be able to see the Humanitarian faces, as they have left behind the demoniac country.
However, I wish to point out; In the case of Sri Lanka, UNHCR has to revisit the recently issued revised guidelines to assist decision-makers in reviewing claims to asylum. Those guidelines include your recommendation that in "light of the improved security situation since the end of Sri Lanka's conflict in May 2009"? The war may have come to a close, but the security for the Tamils have not changed. Tamils in the Northeast and in Colombo still being harassed. Kidnapped, extortion by demand for ransome payments, extra judicial killings, rape is rampent. Government security forces and the paramilitary groups lay down the law for the Innocent Tamil civilians. No doubt the claim for asylum seeking Tamils have increased.It would be better for UNHCR to inform the countries who are willing to offer asylum should be more considerate and help individuals and groups on their merits. Let The Srilankan ministers go on barking they are a bunch of Imbeciles.
UNHCR should visit Srilanka frequently and see for themselves,of the ground situation, with out just accepting the government version. Srilankan governments have a long history of falsifying ground situations and blamming others for their own fault. The world was informed that it was fighting terrorism, but in truth it was waging a RACIAL WAR to prevent Tamils claiming their fundamental political rights. The liberation struggle was suppressed by state terrorism from 1956 till it proclaimed it has won the war in May2009. Still the Srilankan government is using its security forces to suppress the Tamil community.
To deceıve the people and government of Canada, the spokespersons of the Canadıan Tamıl Congress hıghlght the mıstreatment of the Tamıls ın Srı Lanka as the cause of human smugglıng. I am a Tamıl and thıs ıs not true. Canada must crackdown on the LTTE network ın Canada before they start extortıng from us Tamıls agaın. I have been treated very well ın Srı Lanka contrary to the propaganda of the Canadıan Tamıl Congress. For the record 70% of those who claım asylum ıon Canada go back to Srı Lanka to enjoy theır holıdays
Tamıl Tıger actıvısts ın Canada are workıng for Nedıyawan who ıs tryıng to revıve the defunct Tamıl Tıgers. Every evenıng they report to Nedıyawan, the man who has replaced Prabhakaran. Canadıan Tamıl Congress ıs the propaganda and fund raısıng wıng of the Tamıl Tıgers determıned to save the Tıgers on the two shıps