COI Report March 2012 - UK Border Agency - Home Office

7 MARCH 2012 SRI LANKA
Throughout 2010 persons in the 3 rd category above were released in batches. For example, on
9 th January 2010, 496 cadres were released, these included some so-called ‗child soldiers,‘ on
31 st January 2010 another 56 cadres were released directly to their parents and on 1 st February
2010 a further 13 were released. In October 2010 another 306 were released and included 206
females. The RPR Minister stated that these were the last of the female detainees.
The release of these persons appeared poorly planned and no assistance had been provided
for their reintegration. All were released to their families, which was a condition of their release,
although some were released to their families in IDP camps. Those released did not received
proper identity documents, just a letter stating that they had been released from a rehabilitation
centre. However, mobile units from the Department of the Registration of Persons had been
visiting towns around the country enabling such persons to apply for a replacement National
Identity Card.
The CGR stated in January 2011 that in total 5,686 persons had been released. There
remained 4,658 ex-combatants detained in the 9 rehabilitation centres gazetted into law as
being Protective Accommodation and Rehabilitation Centres (PARC). The Sri Lankan military
operates these camps with involvement from various ministries. Those detained would continue
to be released in batches over the next few months.
For many months there had been no access to these camps, or to the screening process, for
local or international agencies. On 28 July 2010, IOM was allowed access to three PARCs in
the Welikanda area. They noted:
� Ex-combatants were receiving vocational training in a variety of trades and many were
confident that they would be able to apply the skills learnt for future activity.
� Ex-combatants were able to practice and play activities such as cricket, football and
volleyball twice a day, although there was a shortage of equipment.
� All said that the living and sleeping accommodation was adequate and they were
satisfied with the meals they were receiving three times a day.
� Mobile health and medical services were provided every month and emergency or
specialist cases were taken to Polonnaruwa Hospital for treatment.
� Religious buildings had been constructed to enable ex-combatants to practice their
religion twice a day.
� Every weekend, ex-combatants‘ relatives are allowed to visit from 7.30am until 4.30pm.
The military have organised a bus service from Welikanda town to the PARC. ICRC are
providing the transport costs to get to Welikanda and all families are eligible for this
assistance, although it is often not enough to cover their costs and some families are
unaware.
� Most of those detained were the bread winners for their families who were now struggling
to earn sufficient income for their needs. Some were also responsible for elderly parents.
� No evidence of mistreatment was offered by any of the ex-combatants encountered in
the PARCs.
� All were willing to return home as soon as possible and their primary issue is their
release date.
The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 3 February 2012.
Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section
to 2 March 2012.
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