By William Miller

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

Picture of The Tamil migrants aboard the ocean lady last October (PHOTO: CTV.com)

VANCOUVER, Canada – Narindar Kang, a lawyer representing the seventy-six Tamil migrants found aboard a cargo ship last October, has said that about fifty of the migrants will be released from custody and will be allowed to settle with family already residing in Canada. According to Kang, immigration officials have already cleared about twenty-three of the detained migrants for release and are currently working to clear as many as two dozen more. All the migrants will be released subject to strict conditions.

The migrants were taken into custody in October when they were found aboard the Ocean Lady off the coast of British Columbia. Authorities have confirmed initial suspicions that the group was comprised of Tamil Refugees fleeing persecution which came in the wake of a twenty-six year long civil war in Sri Lanka.

The government has been apprehensive to release the migrants and grant them refugee status because of fears that some of the migrants may be members of the Tamil Tigers. The Tamil Tigers are a military unit which fought in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The Canadian government recognizes the group as a terrorist organization because of their use of suicide bomber tactics.

Kang has adamantly denied that the migrants he represents are associated with any terrorist group. He said “Many of these young men are highly educated professionals … Once time passes and people come to know (this, they will realize) they never posed a threat and those individuals certainly should have been released a long time ago.”

Migrants who are released will have to comply with strict conditions. They will be required to post bonds ranging between 2,000 and 10,000 dollars. They will also be required to report to immigration officials on a weekly basis and to not associate with any terrorist group, particularly the Tamil Tigers.

All seventy-six of the Migrants found aboard the Ocean Lady have made claims for refugee status. Information as to why the remaining migrants are not being released has not been provided either to the detainees nor their lawyers. Most of those being released are expected to settle with family in the Toronto and Montreal arias. They are expected to be released some time next month.

For more information, please see:

Canadian Press – Up to 50 Tamil Migrants in BC Soon to be Released Immigration Lawyer – 26 December 2009

CTV.com – 50 Detained Tamil Migrants to be Released: Lawyer – 26 December 2009

CBC News – More Tamil Migrants Set for Release – 24 December 2009