Dilrook Kannangara

It was reported that over one hundred Rohingyas are in a military-run camp in the north of the island. However, there may be others who have already made it to Sri Lanka and have become citizens. They must be sent back to their homeland – Burma or Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka has a very high population density, a severe scarcity of resources and opportunities, and religious tensions that boil over from time to time. Allowing Rohingya people into Sri Lanka only worsens all these crises. First of all, Sri Lanka must resolve the problems faced by its citizenry before allowing foreigners into the island.

Allowing even one is dangerous as it can attract plenty more. Misplaced sympathy should not be the guiding principle of sorting out national issues. If any individual wants to help them, they can do so by donating to Rohingya welfare funds in Burma and Bangladesh.

Another issue is allowing Rohingyas into the island may disrupt Sri Lanka’s relations with Myanmar which is a friendly nation. All Rohingyas in the island must be respectfully repatriated out of Sri Lanka.