DUBAI // Twelve Tamil refugees say they are losing hope of being resettled in another country and fear being sent back home, more than a year after they were rescued and brought to the UAE.
The Sri Lankans are part of a group of 45 Tamils whose boat ran into trouble after they sailed from India last October to seek asylum in Australia.
They were rescued and brought to Jebel Ali by a Singaporean ship.
“We have been here for 13 months and five days now,” said one refugee, who asked not to be named.
“The UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] says our applications have been rejected by some countries. We are waiting to know from other countries now.
“Six months back, we had some hope that we will be sent to another country but we don’t know anymore. Everyone is worried that we could be sent to Sri Lanka. People are trying not to show they are anxious but it is very hard.”
Of the 45 people who arrived, seven were sent back by the UN as they were deemed not to be in need of international protection. All of the remaining, 38 were recognised as refugees.
One of them gave birth after arriving in the UAE, bringing the total to be recognised as refugees and waiting for new citizenship to 39. Eight men, three women and a four-year-old girl remain from the group.
The UNHCR confirmed that 12 Sri Lankan Tamils were still in limbo at Jebel Ali Port.
“UAE authorities continue to generously host this population, providing them with shelter, food and other forms of humanitarian assistance,” a spokesman said.
“UNHCR has full access to the site to follow-up on individual cases when needed.
“Similarly, there are ongoing efforts to further explore feasible durable solutions for this group. One among the group of the remaining 12 has been accepted for resettlement.
“Resettlement is the most feasible solution for the remaining 11 and UNHCR appreciates the UAE’s commitment to support in facilitating a solution for this group outside of the UAE.”
The refugees left India last October. Many of them had been living in India, which lacks refugee-specific legislation, for several years before leaving for Australia with the hope of permanent settlement.
The Singaporean ship Pinnacle Bliss, which was sailing to the UAE, rescued them and brought them to Dubai.
Once the group arrived at Jebel Ali port last year, the UNHCR notified the UAE of their presence.
Although the UAE is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and not legally obliged to allow refugees to stay, the asylum seekers were allowed to disembark and the UN agency was granted access to determine the legitimacy of their claims for asylum.
The mother of the four-year-old girl said her daughter was fed up of the wait.
“She keeps asking me when we will leave and I have no answers,” she said. “She says she wants to go to school. She has no one to play with and sits all day in a corner, lost in thought. We are waiting for some good news but don’t understand what is happening.”
Another refugee said they were anxiously awaiting UN representatives in the UAE.
“They used to visit us every 15 days – we haven’t seen them in more than a month. We are stuck in a state of limbo and are still awaiting for some good news,” he said. “We haven’t seen any of our family members in a year now.”
He said they were relying on hand-outs from the UAE Red Crescent.
pkannan@thenational.ae
