41Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu, India are arriving Sri Lanka under the UNHCR facilitated voluntary repatriation program on Thursday November 17.

The group of refugees consisting of 41 persons (13 families) scheduled to arrive through Sri Lankan Airlines (UL132) at 10.10 am from Trichy.

According to V. Sivagnanasothy, Secretary, Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, the Government of Sri Lanka under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has initiated action to encourage the voluntary refugee returnee program and the current trend of increased refugee returnees is a sign of reconciliation and moving towards permanent peace.

These refugee returnees will get back to Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu and Jaffna.