Lankan Tamil migrants were given the free use of telephones to call their loved ones in Sri Lankaafter losing contact with them for more than 14 weeks, including 12 spent on the rusty MV Sun Sea that smuggled them into Canada.
The migrants, who are being held in B.C., were allowed to call family members Wednesday.
Calls to Sri Lankacan average about 10 cents a minute and the migrants had complained about not being able to phone home.
“They are worried about their wives and family back at home,” said David Poopalapilllai, of the Canadian Tamil Congress.
“They haven’t heard from their loved ones in more than three months.”
The phones were activated on Wednesday at detention centres in B.C. where the 492 migrants are being held after arriving on the B.C. coast.
“They feel much better now that they can talk to someone at home,” Poopalapilllai said from B.C. on Wednesday.
“It took the authorities a little while for the phones but at least now they can talk to family.”
The women and children are expected to be released next week, he said. All the migrants are being detained as their IDs are checked and to determine if any are Tamil Tigers terrorists.
Some of the migrants fear the calls will be monitored by Canadian authorities, community members said.
The migrants have been given a fact sheet listing their rights.
“Legal aid is available to the detainees” the sheet said. “Migrants may choose their own counsel and they have an opportunity to meet with counsel prior to their detention review.”
Some immigration lawyers estimate it could cost up to $22 million for legal aid, interpreters, court costs, and health and dental care for the migrants.
Federal immigration spokesman Karen Shadd said refugee claimants can apply for a work permit and have access to a federal program that covers emergency medical and dental treatment.
“They may also have access to various provincial social benefits, including welfare,” Shadd said.
Once a person is accepted as a refugee they are also eligible for the Canada Student Loans Program and Canada Study Grants, she said. They also have access to various provincial social benefits, Toronto Sun reports.
