Sri Lankan Tamil refugee experiences: A qualitative analysis

Abstract

AbstractA significant number of Sri Lankan Tamils fled the violence unleashed during the civil war (1983–2009) between Tamils and the Sri Lankan government. The largest concentrations of Sri Lankan Tamils outside of Sri Lanka exist in Canada and India. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of pre-migration and post-migration experiences on Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Canada and India. A total of 35 refugees participated in the qualitative study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. About 28 participants were from Gummidipoondi refugee camps near Chennai, India, and seven were from Toronto, Canada. There were 22 males and 13 females. The content analysis revealed war-related complex distress among participants. Major themes identified were civil war, genocide and escape, settlement/Kudiyettam, the role of the United Nations and Refugee Board policies. The results of the study emphasize the distress caused by the civil war and the subsequent journey many refugees took to reach their current settlements. Post-migration settlements including migration policies continue to prolong suffering and psychological abuse for many Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Expanding and negotiating these policies to fit diverse cultural, social and political human experiences would better serve refugees during their migratory journey.Keywords: Sri Lankan Tamil refugeesrefugee migrationrefugee mental healthrefugee campsrefugee theorySri Lankan genocide Notes on contributorsDr. Miriam George is an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Social Work. Dr. George's has extensive clinical social work practice includes community mental health care systems in India, as well as in Canada, where she worked in inpatient and outpatient services providing interventions for individuals and communities. Her community engaged a research interest is on South Asian mental health, including, South Asian refugee mental health.