Mbabane – The Government of Eswatini has confirmed the death of Sri Lankan national Kishanth Peramaiya, who was temporarily residing in the country under an arrangement with the Government of the United Kingdom.
Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli, in a statement issued on Monday, said Peramaiya was in Eswatini pursuant to an arrangement with the UK Government.
At the time of his death, the two governments were engaged in consultations concerning arrangements for his possible long-term residence in Eswatini.
“The Government, in close liaison with the British High Commission in Eswatini, is engaging with the family of the late Mr Peramaiya to facilitate the necessary arrangements for his burial,” Mdluli said.
The government did not disclose the circumstances or cause of his death.
Peramaiya’s presence in Eswatini was linked to a complicated asylum and resettlement case involving the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
According to international humanitarian publication The New Humanitarian, Peramaiya, 36, was a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seeker who was among 89 people rescued by the Royal Navy in October 2021 after their fishing vessel experienced difficulties near Diego Garcia, an island within the British-controlled BIOT.
He subsequently spent nearly five years in BIOT custody, with most of the group later being approved to enter the United Kingdom. Peramaiya was among three members of the group who were not permitted to relocate to Britain because of criminal convictions or ongoing legal issues, according to The New Humanitarian.
The publication reported that Peramaiya had nevertheless been granted international protection by the BIOT administration, meaning he could not be forcibly returned to Sri Lanka.
With the UK not admitting him and his return to Sri Lanka ruled out, relocation to a third country became the remaining option.
The New Humanitarian reported that Peramaiya was transferred from Diego Garcia to the Maldives before being brought to Eswatini. His mother told the publication that he received two successive three-month visas after arriving in the Kingdom.
His arrival in Eswatini also generated questions over his long-term status. Local reporting in July indicated that an agreement between the UK and Eswatini governments provided for his continued stay in the Kingdom, while the latest Government statement confirms that the two governments were still discussing arrangements for possible long-term residence at the time of his death.
The New Humanitarian also reported that Peramaiya had previously challenged the UK Government’s decision not to allow him to relocate to Britain. A UK court dismissed the challenge in 2025, leaving relocation to another country as the remaining pathway.
His case had been subject to legal proceedings during his years in BIOT, including challenges concerning his detention and his relocation. Court records cited by The New Humanitarian also documented repeated suicide attempts while he was detained there.
The New Humanitarian reported that Peramaiya died in Mbabane on September 13, although the Eswatini Government’s statement issued on September 28 did not provide details on the circumstances of his death.
Following his death, the Government said it was working with the British High Commission and Peramaiya’s family to facilitate his burial arrangements.
The government conveyed its condolences to his family and loved ones and joined them in mourning his passing.
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