A group of 36 Sri Lankan asylum seekers deported from the UK arrived in Colombo yesterday.

UK authorities deported them amidst effort by pro-LTTE elements in the UK to prevent British authorities from carrying out deportation of Sri Lankans who have failed to qualify for asylum. The British Foreign Office in last March told the BBC that they send people back to Sri Lanka only when the British government and the courts are satisfied that an individual does not need protection.

The Foreign Office has said there had been no substantiated allegations of mistreatment of those returned from the UK.

Yesterday's fight is the fourth such flight of deportees arrived from the UK.