The Impact of the Current COVID-19 Outbreak to Irregular Migration Context in Sri Lanka

Introduction

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 rapidly at a global level, many countries, especially the most popular key migration hotspots for irregular migrants and human smuggling agents in Sri Lanka, turned out to be locations of high risk to migrate. As the COVID-19 spread rapidly spread across the globe by leaving only very few countries and their population aside, the people who were residing in the COVID-19 vulnerable regions became further vulnerable due to lack of access to medical health facilities, essential food supply due to mandatory quarantine procedures of the host country.

Background

Assistance by the Sri Lankan Government to Regular Migrants in Wuhan

In early January 2020, with the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic control mandatory quarantine measures imposed by the Chinese Government in Wuhan, many Sri Lankan students and regular migrant workers were appealing the Sri Lankan government to facilitate their immediate return as they were becoming vulnerable in those stranded locations without basic facilities to support their living. However, the government of Sri Lanka was very much successful in prompt assistance to return those migrants based on emergency grounds while the national carrier airline staff, military forces and health units gave their maximum support to establish a well-equipped quarantine center to safe guard the migrants as well as the country from any possible threat of the rapid pandemic spread.

Appeals made on return by the regular and irregular migrants in South Korea and Italy

This situation led to a high number of irregular and regular migrants residing in South Korea also to return to Sri Lanka while they were not undergoing any mandatory quarantine procedures. Meanwhile, the regular and irregular migrants in the western world also commenced returning back home on their new year vacations but were not undergoing the mandatory quarantine procedures. However, none of them were unaware if they were corona positive or whether they were transmitting the virus to their fellow communities through social gathering. Once the government imposed strict measures on health scans at the point of entry (Colombo International Airport), the Department of Emigration and Immigration also worked on restricting certain emigration and visa procedures to Sri Lanka at the end of February 2020. Simultaneously, through hotline calls migrant workers from the Middle East have sought assistance and information on possible return support. Further, there were few reported cases of stranded irregular Canada bound migrants stranded in transit locations requesting an immediate return through IOM.

Growing social media engagement by Sri Lankan diaspora abroad

After the 18 March 2020 complete restrictions imposed within Sri Lanka, the general public was urged by the Sri Lankan authorities to move towards a complete lockdown situation while several Sri Lankan migrants who returned from Italy and South Korea by passed the mandatory quarantine process imposed by the government creating undue disturbances at the Airport in Colombo. Few of them were infected with Corona virus and they reached their own cities and villages by hiding their symptoms through pain killers. Simultaneously, most of the irregular migrants who returned and intended to return were publishing misleading social media posts via youtube, facebook and Instagram on the ill effects of the government mandatory quarantine process.

Diaspora Social media engagements and developing life threats due to COVID-19

Meantime, there was a clash between the Sri Lankan diaspora community in Italy led by most of the irregular migrants who have reached Italy by boats during and after the civil war in Sri Lanka by producing fake identities and fake documents to obtain refugee status in Italy as asylum seekers. Following the context, the other irregular Sri Lankan migrants in South Korea were posting videos on social media as how they work in the country with fear and without proper legal documents or 'right to work or study' in the country. Migrant workers in the Middle East were scared to reach the medical facilities voluntarily due to severe legal penalties associated with the immigration law violations in destination countries.   

Developing social stigma among Sri Lankan communities and awareness on irregular vs. regular migration

The above situation turned into a life threatening environment for Sri Lankan citizens while it led towards a social stigma. People were starting to understand well about the difference between regular and irregular migration based on the above mentioned behavior patterns of the migrants. The Sri Lankan communities realized that the irregular migrants were scared to reach the Sri Lankan border and face the immigration formalities while the regular migrants were not fearful as they have necessary documents to prove their work or study rights in the destination countries.

Heath, law and order measures for irregular migrants   

With growing number of Corona infected patients being migrants or tourists who had travelled abroad recently,  the government declared that 16 March 2020 is the deadline for any irregular migrant to voluntarily surrender to obtain the proper government facilitated quarantine and health measures without any legal implications while anyone who reaches later would be imprisoned for violating the Immigration and Emigration Act of Sri Lanka. Hence, this time period was later extended up to 24 March 2020.

Lost hopes and opportunities of irregular migrants

Based on the above context, many irregular migrants were registered for health services and sent to national quarantine centers for COVID-19 mitigation measures. However, all of them are not happy with their return as they feel they have lost a great economic and a social opportunity, a good exposure in another developed country. Their stress levels are growing due to such multiple reasons and the government is taking all possible measures to support their psychosocial well-being while addressing the most crucial Corona virus risks.

Issues related to further returns of Sri Lankan migrants abroad

Being a quite small land area and an island state, Sri Lanka is facing growing threats of COVID-19 effects while the government and all media organizations have joined hands to constantly promote citizens to follow the government physical isolation etiquette. Although the government health services, military and law enforcement authorities urge the population living in Sri Lanka to comply with physical isolation rules imposed, some tend to violate the protocols in place. On his Twitter message, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had also commended President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka for mobilizing the whole government in the fight against the Coronavirus.

Conclusion

With the growing number of vulnerable patient identification, permanent lockdown which was imposed for 14 days on 18 March 2020 and extended without further notice to Western Province (Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara), Jaffna and Puttalam Districts. The legal port of entry, Colombo International Airport also declared its operational closure for all arrivals on the same day until further notice. It leaves a margin for all stranded regular and irregular Sri Lankan migrants living abroad who intended to return home. Considering the emerging needs, the Presidential Task Force for COVID 19 together with the Ministry of Foreign Relations developed an online registration portal as “Contact Sri Lanka” (https://www.contactsrilanka.mfa.gov.lk/) for all Sri Lankan migrants currently overseas.

Registering online in the web portal will allow the Ministry of Foreign Relations to reach out and provide assistance during COVID19 outbreak.

References to government data:  The Sri Lankan Government News Portal : https://www.news.lk/