‘Sri Lankans deported secretly’

Fabian Cornelius

 | May 27, 2014

PETALING JAYA: Human rights watchdog Suaram today claimed that the Malaysian government had deported three Sri Lankan refugees secretly to their homeland without adhering to the proper legal channels.

“Yesterday the government secretly deported the three Sri Lankan refugees to Sri Lanka,” said Suaram’s spokesperson R Thevarajan at a press conference today.

Thevarajan said the three refugees – Kirubaharan, Kirubanathan and Gushanthan – were not given the avenue to appeal but were indeed subjected to forced deportation which could put them at risk in the hands of the Sri Lankan government.

“The government is violating the non-refoulement principle of the international customary law by sending the refugees back to their persecutor, Sri Lanka,” he said.

“The government is putting all three refugees at great risk in the hands of the Sri Lanka government,” he added.

Thevarajan said that Suaram tried to get in touch with the police and the Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar last Sunday but to no avail.

But around 4.30pm yesterday, Suaram received a notice from the police informing them that the refugees have already been deported to Sri Lanka.

Suaram also questioned the statement made by the IGP in a press release on May 25 that the three refugees were terrorists, and the role played by the immigration department in deporting them hurriedly.

Also present at the conference was lawyer New Sin Yew, representing one of the deported refugees.

“They were detained for 11 days before being deported. That is far too short of time to receive legal advice,” New said.

“The refugees need to be declared as prohibited immigrants by the court in order for deportation, and to give refugees the right to appeal to the court,” stressed New.

“No notices were given to the refugees’ families, UNHCR and Suaram even though we have been communicating well with the police regarding this case,” he said

Meanwhile Suaram executive director K Arumugam said that the police also ransacked the refugees’ house and confiscated their belongings.

“It was strange that the police confiscated all their belongings due to an offence under the Immigration Act though on May 25 Khalid claimed that they were suspected terrorist restarting the Liberation of Tamil Tiger Eelam (LTTE),” he said.

“If Khalid has evidence, then charge them in court. Khalid should prove his claims,” he said.

Arumugam said that Suaram will take legal action against the government, the immigration department and the police for violating the immigration laws and international conventions.

“There are due processes of the government, immigration department and police to follow but they did not,” he said.