Lawyer fears hundreds of Tamils from Sri Lanka seeking asylum in Canada may be traumatized

Tamils seeking asylum in Canada may be traumatized

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A lawyer with the Canadian Tamil Congress fears hundreds of Tamil asylum seekers from war-ravaged Sri Lanka who were at sea for three months in the belly of a cramped cargo ship may be traumatized.

The ship docked Friday near British Columbia’s capital of Victoria on Vancouver Island, 47 miles (75 kilometers) east of Vancouver. The migrants were being transferred Saturday to a local detention center.

Gary Anandasangaree said Saturday the refugees may be experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following 90 days at sea after fleeing a war-torn country.

While the war is over, Tamil leaders in Canada say the ethnic Tamil minority still faces persecution.

(cn-jh)