Sri Lanka has continued to block access by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to more than 100 Rohingya asylum seekers, including women and children, who have been held under military custody for over one year, raising serious concerns among human rights groups and humanitarian service providers.
The group of Rohingya, who were rescued at sea and brought ashore in November 2024, remain in detention at an air force base in Mullaitivu District in the country’s Northern Province, Sri Lankan media reported.
Despite repeated formal requests, the U.N. refugee agency has not been permitted to assess the 100 Rohingya and assess their protection needs, asylum claims, or living conditions in northeastern Sri Lanka.
“UNHCR continues to formally request access to the group to assess their needs, vulnerabilities and claims for international protection, which has to date not been permitted,” said Mariko Hall, the UNHCR Asia-Pacific regional office spokesperson.
Hall added that UNHCR remains “deeply concerned about the well-being of this group, especially women, children and older people.”
The 100 Rohingya were fleeing violence in Myanmar by boat when they became stranded at sea. They were later assisted by Sri Lankan fishermen before being taken into military custody.
Although a court order reportedly directed their transfer to a civilian detention facility near Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, rights groups say the group was instead moved to the Mullaitivu Air Force base following what has been described as high-level intervention.
Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission has urged the government to immediately allow UNHCR access, warning that the prolonged detention of conflict-displaced civilians without a clear release timeline constitutes a serious humanitarian concern.
“These people are victims of conflict, yet they are being treated as criminals,” said Gehan Gunatilleke, a commissioner for Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission. He noted that UNHCR has the mandate and expertise to process asylum claims, adding that continued delays are unjustifiable.
The group of Rohingya includes at least 57 children, as well as several infants and newborns, including cases involving underage mothers, according to the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.
Officials have warned that the continued military detention of minors could place Sri Lanka in violation of its obligations under international child protection and civil rights conventions such as the U.N. Convention of the Rights of the Child, of which Sri Lanka is a signatory.
UNHCR has stated that it is ready to cooperate with Sri Lankan authorities to provide humanitarian assistance and conduct protection assessments once access is granted. However, the refugee agency has cautioned that continued denial of access risks isolating the asylum seekers from international protection mechanisms.
The case has intensified scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s handling of irregular maritime arrivals, as displacement pressures continue to grow across South and Southeast Asia amid ongoing instability and conflict in Myanmar.
BNI
