(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Sri Lanka with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has taken measures to bring back 12 Sri Lankan migrant workers stranded in Somaliland.
The Ministry in a statement said it is in coordination with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Addis Ababa, and with the assistance of the IOM, succeeded in ensuring the safe return of the 12 Sri Lankan migrant workers stranded in Somaliland as a result of a labor dispute.
Sri Lanka does not have diplomatic and consular presence in Somaliland. Therefore, the Ministry and the Sri Lanka Embassy in Addis Ababa worked with the IOM Office in Hargeisa which interceded to negotiate with the employer concerned in Somaliland to resolve the labor dispute, secure the release of the Sri Lankans, and facilitate their safe return.
The twelve Sri Lankans are scheduled to return home shortly.
“The Government of Sri Lanka acknowledges with gratitude the role of the IOM in providing much needed assistance to the Government and people of Sri Lanka on this occasion as well as in the past in many similar situations,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all Sri Lankans to be cautious in undertaking employment in high risk territories in which Sri Lanka does not have resident diplomatic and consular presence.
