People in North, East leaving due to dire situation

• He said 85 of those in Vietnam have agreed to return

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera 

People  in the North and East tend to leave the country due to the dire economic  situation where some have gone to Tamil Nadu, Vietnam and Ukraine in  the last six months.

He told Parliament that some 302 Tamils have fled to Vietnam and seven to Ukraine.

He said 85 of those in Vietnam have agreed to come back and said the Ministry would facilitate their return.
Responding  to a remark made by Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikkalanathan, the minister  said a publicity mechanism was needed to educate the people in the  North and East on the dangers of seeking refugee status and not to get  caught to human trafficking.

“We  want to inform them, if they go on refugee status or on a wrong passport  and get caught to  trafficking, they will have to suffer,” he said.

• ‘‘We  want to inform them, if they go on refugee status or on a wrong passport and get caught to  trafficking, they will have to suffer’’