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Tamil Progressive Alliance scoffs at Namal welcoming Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu

29 Aug 2021

By Dinitha Rathnayaka In retort to a post by Minister Namal Rajapaksa commending Tamil Nadu’s move to improve the living conditions of Sri Lankan refugees, Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan on Saturday (28) pointed out the plight of Sri Lankans that have been living in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). Ganesan had stated: “Before accepting the Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu, resettle the Tamils who have been living in IDP camps in Jaffna for decades. Remove the Army from the fertile lands, including Palali, in Valikamam North, and allow these people to go to their own lands.” Meanwhile, Ganesan has also written a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, expressing his thanks to the latter on behalf of the TPA, and announcing that he is ready to fully co-operate with the Tamil Nadu Government. He also noted that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had made various announcements related to the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils living in Tamil Nadu at his very first assembly, and has now announced INR 3 billion in relief for Sri Lankan refugees as well as a committee to verify their citizenship.  Ganesan had stated: “We want the Sri Lankan Tamils living in and outside the camps to return to Sri Lanka. But since 40 years is a fair period of time for them to have been there, we think that their desire to live in India over the next 40 years should be prioritised. We also want them to be treated equally as those living in India in this citizenship matter. We also put forward the idea of getting them dual citizenship. We hope that the advisory committee announced by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister will take all these into note. I inform you that Tamil Progressive Alliance is ready to provide all co-operations in this connection.” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in his announcement on Friday (27) had said that Sri Lankan Tamil Refugee camps will from now on be called Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation camps. Addressing the state assembly, he had said: “They are not orphans; we are there for them and hereafter they will be called Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation camps.” Based on insights gained from conducting inspections at these special camps, Stalin said that Sri Lankan Tamil refugees will be ensured decent and better livelihood opportunities by the State Government. Minister Rajapaksa, in original post on Twitter on Saturday, which Ganesan had replied to, had stated: “While welcoming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s statement on Sri Lankan refugees, after the end of the war in 2009, the then-Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomed back refugees who had fled to Tamil Nadu. According to stats, 3,567 families have returned to Sri Lanka with the help of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. “Those who have returned and who require assistance have been provided with houses and livelihoods. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will ensure all refugees who return back are safe in their homeland and can restart their lives.”  


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