Refugees in India afraid to return fearing interrogations: Minister Swaminathan

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in India are afraid to return home fearing interrogations, said the Minister of Re-habilitation, M.D.Swaminathan to a English daily in India.

Only 35% of the refugees living in India had returned home. More than 100,000 are still living in India. They are married and employed in India and hence reluctant to return. We are working closely with the Army, Police and Immigration Department to remove the problems in the return of the refugees, especially the Interrogation time, he said.

He also said that the last batch of returnees were interrogated for about 5 hours. The Government is eager to welcome returnees and if they would in for his ministry of the return day he would arrange ease the returning process and those who have their own lands in Sri Lanka could go there directly.