HRC Issues Summons For Urgent Meeting On Rohingya Incident

The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission has called for an urgent meeting tomorrow with several Ministries to discuss the incident involving Rohingya refugees.

The Cultural Affaies Ministry, Justice Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and the Ministry of Law and Order are among the institutions summoned for the meeting tomorrow.

The Police Department, Prisons Department and the local representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have also been called for the meeting.

Chairperson of the Commission Deepika Udagama told The Sunday Leader that the Human Rights Commission will compile a report following the meeting and submit it to the government.

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) was on Thursday ordered to investigate the incident in Mount Lavinia involving Rohingya refugees.

On Tuesday, a group led by monks protested outside a shelter housing 31 refugees  most of them women and children, who had been rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy from a boat in Sri Lankan waters in April this year.The refugees were eventually evacuated to safety by the authorities.

In Sri Lanka, the presence of refugees and asylum-seekers is authorised by the government.