Rohingya Refugee Calls for Release of Detained Community Members in Sri Lanka
September 10, Colombo (LNW): A Rohingya refugee living in Sri Lanka has used a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to appeal for the release of Rohingya refugees currently being held in detention in the country.
Speaking on behalf of Pax Romana, Mohammad Anwar told the Council that those in detention should be given access to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), legal representatives, journalists and humanitarian agencies while their future remains unresolved.
He also called on Sri Lankan authorities to avoid describing Rohingya refugees as “illegal migrants”, arguing that their displacement, persecution and circumstances should be recognised when determining their status and protection needs.
Anwar referred to the Sri Lanka Navy’s rescue of Rohingya refugees at sea and expressed gratitude for the assistance provided during the operation. At the same time, he urged the Government to ensure that Rohingya refugees already living in Sri Lanka have access to essential services, including accommodation, food, healthcare, education and opportunities to earn a living.
Particular concern was raised over a group that arrived in Sri Lanka following a perilous sea journey. According to Anwar, the group included dozens of children and had endured severe hardship during its journey, including the loss of lives after boats carrying refugees sank.
He said the refugees had subsequently spent an extended period in detention with limited access to humanitarian assistance, and appealed for their release and greater independent access to them.
The Rohingya representative also highlighted the community’s broader struggle for legal recognition, noting that many Rohingya remain without citizenship and have faced severe persecution in Myanmar.
In cases where refugees cannot secure resettlement elsewhere, he asked Sri Lankan authorities to explore longer-term solutions, including permanent residency or citizenship.
Anwar further appealed for the protection of Sri Lankan civil society activists supporting the Rohingya community, calling for an end to what he described as harassment, surveillance and other restrictions directed at human rights defenders.
His intervention placed Sri Lanka’s treatment of Rohingya refugees within the wider international concern over the community’s displacement and alleged atrocities in Myanmar, while urging the country to adopt a more durable and rights-based approach towards those seeking protection on its shores.
The post Rohingya Refugee Calls for Release of Detained Community Members in Sri Lanka appeared first on LNW Lanka News Web.
