Feb 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera says that the government of Myanmar have not responded to the Sri Lankan government's communication regarding the 32 Myanmar nationals who were recently rescued by Sri Lanka Navy when they were marooned in the sea off Sri Lanka's eastern coast.

Sri Lanka government intended to deport them to Myanmar and informed the matter to Myanmar government via the country's Ambassador in Colombo.

The Myanmar nationals, who belong to the minority Muslim Rohingya, say they do not want to return to the country.

Sectarian violence erupted last year between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has forced Rohingya to migrate to Australia and Malaysia across the seas.

Meanwhile the International Organization of Migration has requested from the government of Sri Lanka to meet these refugees who are detained in the Mirihana Detention Center for the migration offenders.