After a short two day trip to Sri Lanka during early December at which Wilson Chowdhry our Chairman met very few Pakistani Christians in Colombo, he returned
during late December responding to an invitation to meet with a Senior Protection Officer at the UNHCR based there.
Mr Chowdhry was in Malaysia and was to inspect our new school there quickly organised an urgent flight to Sri Lanka to ensure the meeting would go
ahead on time and to assess the needs of Pakistani Christians asylum seekers in Negombo, a city adjacent to Colombo where news of a more numerous community
reached the BPCA.
This time Wilson attended several church services led by Pak-Christian community leaders and met with over 100 asylum in the three days he was present
in Negombo. Wilson visited the homes of numerous families and saw first hand the abject poverty that the seekers of safety are subjected to. Sri Lanka
like Malaysia and Thailand has not signed the 1956 UN Conventions for Asylum nor the 1967 protocol. As such asylum seekers and refugees are deemed
illegal overstayers and cannot work or receive any public money for welfare.
After initial reticence from local churches some support is now being provided for the growing asylum seekers community. Initial reluctance to
get involved is believed to be due to a failure to understand the plight of Pakistani Christians, no budget allocated by churches for the help of new
phenomenon of asylum seekers, and a commonly held belief that the new arrivals were not truly Christian and were Muslims pretending to be Christians
– it was commonly believed 100% of Pakistanis were Muslim a stereotype that no longer pervades the Sri Lankan church body.
The neglect by local churches created a worsening morale amongst Pakistani Christians fleeing persecution in their homeland and many became suicidal,
BPCA were told by Reverend Angleena from a Methodist Church in the nations capital of Colombo. Reverend Angleena a British Methodist Minister has been
providing counselling and small amounts of aid for the few families that attend her church in the more expensive city of Colombo. Revd Angleena
has been in post for the last 16 months, she said:
“On my arrival I met with a couple of refugees after a morning service. They were hungry and so I took them out for food, they were the first people I ate a meal with in Sri Lanka. Since then we have helped a number of Pakistani asylum seekers, individuals and families. We have celebrated with those who have secured refugee status and await the next phase of their journey.
“We also continue to walk gently alongside others who have failed twice and are classed as now being illegal here in Sri Lanka. As a church we have responded to various needs in the last year, supporting six months rent, medication, educational needs and an eye operation for an advanced glaucoma patient. I have had the honour of baptising some babies and the heart break of a baby girl Abigail’s funeral.”
Sadly in November 2014 in response to the growing number of new asylum seeker arrivals in the young nation of Sri Lanka, their government responded
by deporting hundreds of UNHCR registered asylum seekers and refugees 384 in total. However, after articles written by the BPCA and other Pakistani
Christian groups that triggered Catholic newspaper features on the plight of those forced home, the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka got involved alongside
the UNHCR in convincing the government to take a softer approach. A brave Catholic Priest Father Terrence of St Sebastian Church in Negombo housed
dozens of asylum seekers in his church for over three months, feeding them and providing shelter. No Police ever entered the church grounds to arrest
the asylum seekers due to the power and authority of Catholic Church – in Negombo 62.5% of the population is Catholic and a further 3.5% are Evangelical
Christians.
St Sebastian Catholic Church
The building that housed asylum seekers
Revd Angleena joined Wilson at a meeting with UNHCR’s Senior Protection Officer Igor Ivancic and joined us in a BPCA hired van.
During the meeting a report was provided by UNHCR on the current status of for asylum seekers. Apparently in the last few years the Government of Sri
Lanka have allowed access to free medical treatment within their government hospitals for all asylum seekers and refugees and have agreed no arrests
will take place for asylum seekers or refugees up to determination. However any illegal activity will result in arrest, detainment and deportation.
Fortunately for those that enter the country registration is immediate and a document is provided. Within 2 – 4 weeks a UNHCR asylum certificate
is provided to applicants which has a duration of 6 months, thus preventing any difficulties with statutory bodies.
Wilson Chowdhry, Revd Angleena and Igor Ivancic Senior Protection Officer at the UNHCR receiving BPCA publication.
The initial focus of the Sri Lanka UNHCR was to assist internally displaced persons (IDP) and refugee returns from Tamil Nadu as part of a repatriation
programme a consequence of the Sri Lankan Civil War 1983 – 2009, which was their core mandate. However this will cease at the end of the year although
advocacy for these groups will continue.
Sri Lanka still has no reference in law, no Government policies and no statutory body protocols that deal with asylum issues and UNHCR is helping them
to develop processes. They provide training to immigration staff and try to involve Sri Lankan Government with their processes.
The current total figure of asylum seekers in Sri Lanka is believed to be around 600, of which 80% are believed to be Pakistani, the majority of whom
are believed to be Ahmadi Muslims and a small figure of 15% of the 80% is believed to be Pak-Christians. This brings the estimate of Pakistani Christians
to be around a figure of 75, yet during my visit I met over 100 and local Pakistani Christians believe a figure of over 200 are surviving in Sri Lanka.
BPCA believe one way to account for this disparity is to consider the large number of Pakistani Christians who continue to live in Sri Lanka after
failing their original application and appeal (approx 100) – simply to fearful to return home. Once an appeal in rejected no records are maintained
by UNHCR of those choosing to remain. However UNHCR officer Igor Ivancic accepts there is a growing phenomenon of unregistered failed asylum
seekers in Sri Lanka which means that arrests and detainment may well increase
The UNHCR in Sri Lanka is providing a maintenance allowance to any asylum seekers who gain refugee status determination. This maintenance grant makes
them unique as a UNHCR in South Asia and although not particularly large it provides a great boon to refugees who despite their new status are still
not permitted to work legally in Sri Lanka.
The inability to work legally drives refugees and asylum seekers to take up exploitative employment to survive, this is a highly risky endeavour as
though Sri Lanka does not undertake crackdowns on known asylum seekers communities in the manner that we are seeing in Thailand, they are arresting
and detaining any who break the law. Illegal employment is one of the reasons for detainment within immigration detention centres but thus far few
inmates have been taken from their liberty for such an offence. The majority of detainees are a overhang from the more harsh approach taken by
the Government from 2014 to 2015 when 385 were deported.
During the meeting with the UNHCR, Igor Ivancic invited Revd Angleena to join a ‘Refugee Advocates’ group which holds monthly meetings. The meetings
enable UNHCR to dialogue with local groups helping asylum seekers, helps NGO’s and churches share ideas and successes and enables them to coordinate
funding and donations to prevent duplication. Especially as their are known asylum seekers who will travel form church to church and NGO to NGO to
obtain what help they can while they are aware that others are struggling with nothing. Revd Angleena agreed to share any news from the meetings with
the BPCA and Igor has also stated that Mr Chowdhry will be invited to attend any meetings that are organized during any visits to Sri Lanka.
Mr Chowdhry, submitted our latest report on Pakistani Christians to Mr Ivancic. It is hoped the report which is 857 pages long and is widely
accepted to be the most comprehensive report on persecution in Pakistan, will aid the UNHCR when making decisions on asylum cases for Christians from
Pakistan.
After the meeting at UNHCR HQ we travelled to the Pakistan Embassy where we were fortunate enough to meet incoming Deputy High Commissioner Jahnbaz
Kahn who delayed exiting the Embassy by leaving his car and sharing an hours dialogue with us. Over tea and a biscuit we discussed the situation
of Pakistani Christians and were even joined by Counsellor (Consular Affairs) Anjum Farooq, who explained how the Pakistani Embassy was their to help
all Pakistanis even asylum seekers. They admitted there was problems in Pakistan for Minorities and stated they were doing their best to help.
I asked about passport renewals for asylum seekers and they informed me that the process was open to all Pakistanis. I informed him that we would set
up a test case as we were struggling to get the process working in Thailand where a definite bias was taking place against Christian asylum seekers
and he seemed unnerved by this – which provides some hope.
Mr Khan had to leave for a meeting however Wilson Chowdhry asked Counsellor Anjum what counsular support was available for Pakistani Christians and
initially he was not aware of any additional support. However Wilson described an emergency budget for those in financial hardship that could
pay for emergency medical costs, and for flights back home. Mr Anjum remembered a potential stream and agreed to send a correspondence to Mr
Chowdhry detailing how the fund might operate. Mr Chowdhry informed Counsellor Anjum of our meeting with Mr Ivancic of the UNHCR and Counsellor
Anjum asked if we could connect him to the UNHCR. We have duly obliged and hope that this will facilitate further help for Pakistani Christians.
Mr Anjum invited Wilson Chowdhry and Rev Angleena to the Pakistan Day and Independence Day celebrations to be held at the Pakistan Embassy and assured
both of an invite. he extended the invite to any Pakistani asylum seekers and Mr Chowdhry agreed to invite them all on receipt of an official invitation.
Since the meeting with the Embassy of Pakistan Mr Chowdhry has maintained contact with Counsellor Anjum and is hoping to be able to through him meet
with the Givernment of Pakistan to understand better what measures they are taking to protect minorities. Mr Chowdhry is also hoping to provide
advice and guidance that might help develop a fairer society. For this to happen however Counsellor Anjum will have to figure out a way to remove
the ban from entering Pakistan that was imposed on Wilson Chowdhry 6 years ago, after being labelled anti-Pakistani by the Government due to his advocacy
work on behalf of Pakistani Christians.
Counsellor Anjum Farooq, Deputy High Commissioner Janbaz Khan, Iffat (asylum seeker), Rev Angleena, Nobi (asylum seeker), Wilson Chowdhry and Anton Sudharshan (Sri Lankan friend of BPCA).
During meetings with Pakistani Christians in Negombo organised by Michael Peters, Kashif Zafar and Sri Lankan Pastor Luke David (Methodist Church Negombo),
to whom we are extremely grateful, Mr Chowdhry came across a number of stories of failed asylum seekers who felt that they had a strong case for a
review of their application for asylum. Mr Chowdhry is particularly concerned about what seems to be procedural issues involved with assessment of
one application and BPCA have agreed to write a report supporting the application. He has obtained an agreement with Mr Ivancic that the application
can be reconsidered should their be evidence enough to support a review, BPCA researchers have already started the process for preparation of the submission.
After the meeting Mr Chowdhry visited the French Embassy for a case that we will share with our readers next week and also visited Revd Angleena’s
church in Colombo, a very impressive church with a congregation of around 600.
BPCA have found a man known as Bobby who we would like to work with for ongoing projects in Sri Lanka. We would like to raise donations equivalent
to between £50 to £100 a month that would support his work and help with travel costs and towards his regular rent and living expenses. The asylum
seekers is a man that is highly trusted by Revd Angleena and impressed Wilson Chowdhry during his short trip during which Bobby became Wilson’s main
companion. His work will primarily to act as a liaison between the Pakistani Christians in Negombo, be responsible for our grants towards living
expenses for those in hardship, and to help us develop a Christian school for asylum seekers in Sri Lanka as currently the only school open to asylum
seekers children is an Ahmadi school that teaches Islamiat and parents would like to have access to a school with a Christian base. Initially to start up a fund for emergency grants we are seeking donors that could help us raise a regular £400 a month.
BPCA would also like to support the work of Revd Angleena too who is helping the few Pakistani Christian families that are living in Colombo. She said:
“Our church gives dry rations weekly to the families we suppor and we hold a monthly Urdu service. The church has been unable to continue its support through the Board of Social Responsibility and Christian service fund due to other commitments. Therefore the ministers of the church have started a new ministry called En Route to continue to raise awareness and fundraise for the needs of Pakistani Christians. The name was chosen to help where we can to enable those on their journey.
“This time last year we were challenged by the Sunday school whose theme for Christmas was Jesus the refugee. The various Sunday School departments collected toys to be able to distribute to our Pakistani brothers and sister whilst the adults collected dry rations. This Christmas our brothers and sister enjoyed the church Christmas dinner and fellowship. This week we held our second Retromas programme where singers and musicians gave of their time to continue to raise funds as we celebrate Christmas and the Christ child who was a refugee.
“We thank God that we are able to help in some small way not only financially but also pastorally. As 2017 approaches En Route will continue to seek to raise funds for the ministry and is grateful for any assistance to be able to do so.”
We would like to raise an initial £1000 for Revd Angleena and a regular commitment of £200 to support her regular work and pray that donors come forward to meet this need. For various ways to donate to the BPCA including Paypal, Visa payments, address for cheque payments and our international bank details please (click here).
