8 January 2025 11:09 pm Views - 3338
By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera
Parliament, January 08 (Daily Mirror)- In the wake of over 100 Rohingya entering Sri Lanka recently, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said today that the intelligence services have revealed that there was a plan to bring down some 100,000 illegal migrants to Sri Lanka in the coming days.
The Minister told Parliament that an investigation has been launched into the matter and pointed out that it is identified as a grave social issue.
“Police investigations and according to intelligence reports, 100,000 illegal migrants could arrive in Sri Lanka in the coming days. We consider this as a social issue in the country,” he said while responding to a question by SJB MP Rauff Hakeem.
He said the police investigations have revealed that the group of Rohingya who entered Sri Lanka recently had paid 5 million in their currencies to the human traffickers and 8 million more for the journey.
The Minister said a police investigation is being carried out into the matter and added that if the group of people were considered as refugees, they will be dealt with by international laws.
"They are considered as illegal migrants right now. They have been provided with all facilities by the Immigration and Emigrations Department. Following investigations, if they are considered as refugees, they will be dealt with international laws," he said.
MP Hakeem said the group of refugees should not be deported to Myanmar but action must be taken to deport them to another country with the assistance of the UNHRC.
Minister Wijepala said the government has not discussed deporting the group and that the foreign Affairs Ministry had only held initial discussion with the Myanmar government.