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3,000 Tamil Nadu returnees to be resettled

21 Sep 2022

  • Northern Provincial authorities allocate lands, funds to be sought from India 
BY Mirudhula Thambiah   The Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission in Chennai, India, has sought to initially repatriate 3,000 families from Tamil Nadu, and the Northern Provincial authorities have in turn taken steps to allocate lands for these returnees to resettle.   Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiyagarajah, speaking to The Morning yesterday (20), said that in the first phase, 3,000 Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu would return to Sri Lanka and resettle in the Northern Province. “We have earmarked land for 3,000 returnees in four districts, which is able to house 3,024 families,” he added. Governor Thiyagarajah noted however that funds for housing needs need to be raised, and that one avenue to pursue would be to acquire these funds from the Tamil Nadu Government through the Central Government.  “We have also sought to look at solutions for their documentation, including the issuance of National Identity Cards and the attestation of educational qualifications,” he added. He said that the International Organisation for Migration has suggested a plan to assist sustainable income generation for these returnees.  “We will commence this effort six to 12 months prior to their return and the travel cost will also be borne,” he said.  A committee appointed by President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake to assist and efficiently proceed with the process of the repatriation of the war-affected Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu has commenced its functions by gathering information related to and the whereabouts of Sri Lankans who fled the country during the war as refugees. Speaking to The Morning last week, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice Wasantha Perera, who is heading this committee, informed that they have begun to collect information as to when these particular war-affected Sri Lankan refugees left for Tamil Nadu.  “We are currently looking forward to gathering information from all District Secretariats in the North and the East through the separate unit established in this regard,” she said.  Perera said that the documentation-related requirements of the refugee returnees from India are essential in order to clear the proceedings of them returning back to Sri Lanka.  “We are studying the process as to where they must go in order to follow the procedure, while making suggestions to simplify the procedure of returning from India. We have already decided to waive off some penalties. The refugees have to prove that there is a genuine case. If there is a situation like this, everybody tries to take advantage of it and therefore, we really want to see who these refugees are,” she said.   


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