Abstract:
Since the end of the civil war in 2009, Sri Lankan refugees in India have begun to
return home slowly. This article examines the reintegration experiences of firstgeneration
returnees vis-a`-vis second-generation returnees who were either born in
India or were small children at the time of migration and thus have limited memory of
their lives in Sri Lanka before migration. Particular attention is given to challenges
encountered, coping mechanisms adapted to overcome these challenges and returnees’
perceptions of their own return decision in hindsight. Using 13 in-depth case studies
in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, we found that while the reintegration of firstgeneration
returnees has been relatively uneventful, second-generation returnees,
particularly those with Indian higher educational qualifications, faced a cluster of challenges
upon their return involving financial, social, and bureaucratic aspects. Their
coping mechanisms include accepting jobs beneath their qualifications, remigration to
India, and maintaining strong bonds with fellow returnees and friends still in India.
While challenges faced upon returning to Sri Lanka have led some returnees, particularly
the young, to doubt their decision to return, others are content with their decision
as they feel they have better rights in Sri Lanka.
