(UDHAYAM, INDIA) – About 40 Sri Lankan refugees from various camps located across Tamil Nadu will return to Sri Lanka today under the voluntary repatriation programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The individuals from 14 families residing in camps located in Coimbatore, Dindigul, and Tiruchi districts will leave for Colombo from the Tiruchi international airport.
The Hindu reported that this is the first batch of refugees returning with UNHCR assistance this year. A total of 852 refugees from various camps in Tamil Nadu returned to Sri Lanka under the UNHCR repatriation programme in 2016.
According to Tamil Nadu government, as of July last year, 63,649 persons were residing in 108 refugee camps, besides 36,651 refugees, who were staying outside the camps.