Sri Lanka, Aug. 23 -- The United Nations (UN) yesterday welcomed Sri Lanka's decision to simplify immigration procedures to expedite the voluntary return of refugees from India who left the country without valid documents during its decades-long civil war. Resident Coordinator and representative of the UN Secretary-General in Sri Lanka, Marc-Andre Franche, said that through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the intergovernmental organisation will continue to facilitate the return and resettlement of these refugees.

"I welcome the Cabinet's decision on procedures for the voluntary return of Sri Lankan refugees - a key step towards a safe and dignified return to Sri Lanka after years of displacement," he said in a...