Foreigners too held in IDP camps

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
Several foreign nationals are trapped amongst thousands of war displaced in the IDP camps in Vavuniya and are being screened for links with the LTTE.
The foreign nationals of Tamil origin are from Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia. These foreign nationals have entered the government controlled areas from the war zone in the last few months.
A Foreign Ministry official told The Sunday Leader that the judicial process was on track with regard to the foreign nationals in the IDP camps.
The official also said the Foreign Ministry had not received any formal requests from the missions (in Colombo) concerned even by Friday.
Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has been quoted by the Australian media saying the Australian nationals in the IDP camps would undergo screening, along with an estimated 280,000 Tamils in the camps. "We can't start a two-track process that gives preference to foreign nationals," Dr. Kohona has said.
Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe meanwhile has reportedly said the foreign nationals of Sri Lankan origin will be screened for links with the LTTE. The government has also said the registration and security screening of IDPs would be completed in 180 days.
Human Rights Ministry Secretary Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha told The Sunday Leader that he was informed of a New Zealand national trapped in the IDP camp in April by the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. He said the Australian High Commission has also informed him of two Australian nationals in the IDP camps.
"The New Zealand national was located and was about to leave the camp when there was an influx of civilians to the camp last month," he said.
According to Prof. Wijesinha, he has not been informed of other foreign nationals trapped in the IDP camps. Due to the influx of civilians the return of the New Zealand national was delayed.
"When the government asked all aid agencies and foreign citizens to leave, these people have stayed back. Whether they were being forcibly held we do not know," he said.
Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara when queried on the latest reports on the foreign nationals in the Wanni IDP camps said he only knew about the British national in the camp and not of any others. He said an inquiry is being conducted on the British national.
Representatives from the British, Norwegian and Dutch missions in Colombo have however confirmed to The Sunday Leader that citizens from their respective countries were trapped in the IDP camps in the north.
Spokesperson for the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Dominic Williams told The Sunday Leader they were working with Government to get the British citizen (Damilvany Gnanakumar) back to the UK, but refrained to comment on the matter further.
Spokesperson for the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, Rannveig Skofteland said embassy officials were working with the government and the ICRC to get the Norwegian released from the camp.
Meanwhile, an official from the Netherlands Embassy in Colombo said they too were in the process of working out a method to get the Dutch national back to their country.
Attempts by The Sunday Leader to get a confirmation on the three Australian citizens in the IDP camps failed