COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Aug. 20,2001: Some 3,000 Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims in India cannot afford to fly home because airlines are demanding a $40 war-risk insurance surcharge. The pilgrims left the island before the LTTE attack, and were due to return this week. The pilgrims, who had saved to raise the money for the journey of a lifetime to visit Buddhist sites in India, were unable to pay the unexpected surcharge. The newspaper said the authorities were asking Indian Airlines to waive the surcharge for those who began their journey before 24 July. Airline fares have gone up by as much as 80 per cent since the attack.
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