Colombo – A group of 28 Sri Lankan migrants left stranded in the West African state of Togo by people smugglers will voluntarily return home to Sri Lanka with IOM on Saturday (4/2).

The 28, part of a larger group of 209 migrants intercepted by the Togolese authorities in Lomé, the Togolese capital in November, were allegedly en route to Canada.

Following their arrest, the 209, which included 18 women and 11 children, were detained in a Lomé stadium in the care of the Togolese Red Cross, which provided them with basic shelter, food and medical care.

The Togolese authorities subsequently asked IOM and UNHCR to carry out a needs assessment. During the assessment, Tamil-speaking IOM staff briefed the migrants on their options, including the possibility of requesting voluntary return to Sri Lanka with IOM.

To date, 164 of the group have decided to accept voluntary return and reintegration. They include 9 who have already departed; the 28 who will depart on Saturday 4th January; 67 who have signed voluntary return declaration forms and completed IOM medical screening; and 45 who have signed voluntary return declaration forms, but have yet to complete medical screening.

The voluntary returnees will travel to Sri Lanka with Tamil-speaking IOM escorts and will be met by IOM Colombo staff, who will facilitate entry procedures and their post-arrival reintegration. IOM's voluntary return and reintegration programme has received contributions from Canada.

Three migrants who decided to request asylum in Togo were referred to CNAR – the Coordination Nationale de l'Assistance aux Refugiés – the body which normally deals with asylum claims in Togo – and UNHCR.

A further 42 migrants from the group have not yet decided whether to return home voluntarily, apply for asylum or seek other options. Another four absconded from the stadium and their whereabouts are currently unknown.

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For more information please contact: Richard Danziger, IOM Colombo, Tel: +94.773.171077, E-mail: rdanziger@iom.int