Over two dozen Sri Lankan asylum seekers deported from Britain are now concerned for their safety as they are being moved back to the troubled nation.
Over two dozen Sri Lankan asylum seekers deported from Britain are now concerned for their safety as they feel their life could be in jeopardy after moving back to the troubled nation.
A man, believed to have served with Tamil Tiger rebels reportedly tried to kill himself in London, as he feared for his life if he was sent back to Sri Lanka.
Immigration officials say the man was taken to hospital but deemed fit to travel. His lawyer however, obtained a last-minute court order preventing his deportation, and he is still in a UK detention centre.
Several in the group said that their lives were in danger, the BBC reports.
Human rights groups have criticized Britain and expressed concern about human rights in Sri Lanka, saying that mainly Tamil asylum seekers may not be safe in the troubled country.
Amnesty International said it has "documented the endemic use of torture in Sri Lanka and a culture of impunity prevails", and had urged the UK not to deport Tamils to the country.
The UK government has however dismissed the fears saying that it is safe to send people to Sri Lanka because of "the improving situation" there.
The Home Office added that it only undertakes returns to Sri Lanka when it is satisfied that the individual has no protection needs.
The deportation follows the broadcast this week of a documentary by Channel 4 of what it said were war crimes committed by Sri Lankan forces during the closing stages of the military operation to defeat the LTTE.
A recent UN report said there were credible allegations that war crimes were committed.
The Sri Lankan authorities have dismissed the findings of the UN report and suggested the footage in the Channel 4 documentary was not genuine.
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