LTTE spokesman’s family gets asylum in Sweden

9 April 2013 06:04 am - 19 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The wife and children of Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan, who had been an LTTE spokesman have been given asylum in Sweden, a former LTTE reader Lohini Rathimohan told the BBC in an interview.

She said that she also sailed in a refugee boat with them.

Lohini is also among the refugees, who are now staying in Dubai under UNHCR care. When the boat they were sailing had broken down at sea, they contacted UN Refugees unit and were rescued by a ship sailing from Singapore to Dubai.

Lohini Rathimohan spoke to BBC, when she was one among the19 asylum seekers, detained in Dubai under care of UNHCR. Human Rights Watch has requested UNHCR not to send them back to Sri Lanka.

She had disclosed that she was working as a newsreader at the LTTE run television station, and after the war, she escaped to India, and her husband is still in India.

Of the 46 persons who were with her in the refugee boat, UNHCR has approved 39 as refugees and seven had been sent back to Sri Lanka.

“Out of the approved 39 persons, the US and Sweden have granted asylum to 20, which included the wife and children of the LTTE spokesman. The remaining 19 persons, including herself, are to be sent back to Sri Lanka.

“If she were sent back, she fears for her life, Lohini said, as her family has also strongly urged her not to return and she also knows the fate that befell Isaipriya, who was also a newsreader in the LTTE television and had been killed in Sri Lanka.

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Comments - 19

Supun S Tuesday, 09 April 2013 08:20 AM

Do some good things instead of bashing Sri Lanka. Then, in next birth, you can probably be born in 1 of so called "best countries".

karma Wednesday, 10 April 2013 09:22 AM

the world war criminals dis obeying international laws are in Sri Lanka. They should jailed..

Suq Madique Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:28 PM

rampuk, you guys have been able to fool the west all this while. But the time is coming soon when your lies will be discovered and all you bogus refugees will be sent back to SL.

mail_guy Tuesday, 09 April 2013 09:13 AM

well said Ram. International know what the well frogs do.

raviraj Tuesday, 09 April 2013 09:02 AM

any evidence, GOSL has said they have no evidence against KP

kumar Tuesday, 09 April 2013 09:03 AM

By contrary you can give asylum for them.

kumar Tuesday, 09 April 2013 09:01 AM

I don't thing anybody in the world can beat SL Government in lies.

kumar Tuesday, 09 April 2013 08:59 AM

In case of war crimes they would start with the War criminals in Sri Lanka.

chux Tuesday, 09 April 2013 08:39 AM

Terrosits paradise

Shashika Tuesday, 09 April 2013 08:37 AM

wht human right u r talking about??? for u they will be human but for us they are just devils so they are not deserved any human rights ...

ANTON Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:10 AM

APITA MOTO ANUNGE POTO

RamUk Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:37 AM

moron...west are not going to buy stories they are 100 times better than u guys.

Ram Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:31 AM

its true that Sweden supports human rights

Shamila Perera Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:24 AM

Good for them, they should be really happy to out of this bloody country!!! They will be so lucky to get into US and Sweden. Best countries in the world.

Patriot Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:09 AM

Wonder whether the UNHCR and other western nations like the US and Switzerland would give refuge to Al Qaeda or Taliban news readers or any of their close relatives. This is infact western hypocrisy at play.

Suq Madique Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:06 AM

They spread more lies to gain asylum forgetting they belonged to a terrorist group that indiscriminately killed unarmed civilians.

EnEff Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:49 AM

Why are actually those 19 being returned? May be JJ and team at Tamil Nadu can take over. Surely, Western Gods of HR must be more pragmatic and alive to dangers in SL. Better keep all of them at the expense of their tax payers' money. Take those `19 also, immidiately, and grant them statehood. Appoint their next generation in to your legislature by popular vote!

lkboy Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:37 AM

Arrest him through interpol for war crimes.

Jagath Leanage Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:22 AM

According to DM news what we gather is still LTTE active in other counties. Accordingly, does Sweden support LTTE?

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LTTE spokesman’s family gets asylum in Sweden

Comments - 19

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