Send back Tamil refugees to SL: Wigneswaran

10 November 2014 11:11 am - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Visiting Sri Lankan Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran today said India should take steps for sending back the about one lakh Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu to counter the island government's “efforts” to push the ethnic community into a further minority.

“India should take efforts to send back more than a lakh refugees who are now staying in camps in Tamil Nadu with sufficient rehabilitation measures in Sri Lanka. It would increase the Tamil electorate in the island and counter the Lankan Government's efforts to make us further minority there,” he told reporters here.

Recalling the m eeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi some months ago, Tamil-Lankan MP Senthiraj said, “He said that he was with us. So, we are confident about the Indian Government. There can be no change in Lanka without India's interference and that was evident with the conduct of elections in the Northern Province last year.”

Answering a query on the campaign in Tamil Nadu over the Sri Lankan Tamils' issue, Wigneswaran said he understood that the Tamils living in the state were being affectionate towards their “brothers and sisters in Lanka” and their efforts to bring about a change in the Island should not be seen as a move aimed at political gains.

Another Lankan Tamil MP Sumanthiran, who also accompanied Wigneswaran, said their central government was systematically displacing Tamils from their native lands so as to bring down their influence in terms of an electorate.

Stating that according to a study a majority of refugees wished to remain in India, he, however, said “concrete measures” to provide a good life would help their return.

Elaborating on the role Tamil-populated Northern Province wants India to play, he said, “India should push for a change in the Lankan Constitution, which would protect the interests of Tamils living in the united Sri Lanka but not in a unitary framework.”

Northern Province Health Minister Sathyalingam, who was also present, said there were specific needs for the Tamils left in the province after the war against LTTE in 2009.

“After the war, there are over a lakh widows, some 19,000 physically challenged persons and thousands of rehabilitated soldiers. They don't have a livelihood, since they are often being displaced,” he said, adding these people had also been affected by the war 'physically and mentally'.

Wigneswaran said there were “parallel administrative units” presently in his province.

“One unit is operated by Governor with the help of Chief Secretary which is in line with the central government in Colombo and another unit is us. We are working amongst us without any co-ordination from the central government,” he said.

Pressing that India should come to their aid since it had signed the agreement with the Lankan leadership on their behalf in the 80s, the Lankan Tamil leaders said the 13th Amendment was being tinkered.

“More than the 13th amendment, we need a change in the Lankan Constitution. 13 plus plus is something that the Lankan government promised India but did not implement. We want at least the Lankan Government's promise to be implemented,” Wigneswaran said. (Press Trust Of India)

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Comments - 14

Suq Madique Monday, 10 November 2014 05:43 PM

Tamil politicians in SL are not doing enough for the tamils and want to blame it on the Govt. Did even one MP raise his voice at India over the poaching issue? See how the TN MPs agitate for their own! What has the ruling party in Jaffna done for tamils other than fight for more powers for themselves.

Nodrog Monday, 10 November 2014 07:30 PM

Wiggy and his crew are not doing anything for the tamils already living here and they want to being down more??? Yes more tamils more votes but what about their welfare??

Dinithi Monday, 10 November 2014 07:56 PM

So TNA wants the refugees to come back simply because they want to strengthen their electorate. I cannot see any difference between TNA and government. Both only thinking about their votes.

Saskia Monday, 10 November 2014 08:12 PM

Do the ruling party in North has enough freedom and powers to do anything for Tamils? Does the central government allow them do anything? Why is there an “parallel administrative units” presently in North under governor? Why does the central government keep the land powers? to create new settlements for Sinhalese? Then how can the ruling party in north settle down the war affected Tamils?

Lokka Monday, 10 November 2014 08:13 PM

From day one Wigneswaran is on a collision course with the government.. He thinks by villifying the SL govt. he can win his unfair demands.

Saskia Monday, 10 November 2014 09:43 PM

Thank sir. Very good. You have made the points very clear to India. You have shown yourself once again that you are a great leader. keep it up. Do the same in other countries when you get the chance.

Lima Tuesday, 11 November 2014 12:34 AM

AT LEAST THIS WIG HAS THE GUTS TO SPEAK OPEN , WHAT ELSE OTHERS HAD TO SPEAK TO , ALL ARE PUPPETS AND FOR THEIR OWN SAVINGS TO THEIR POCKET ,

Lanka Watch Tuesday, 11 November 2014 01:06 AM

This is not the right time to bring the refugees from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka, while the Tamil issue remains unsettled . They are happily living in the midst of their own kind and not foreigners. .TNA is more interestedin numbers than a secured life for all Tamils

UB Tuesday, 11 November 2014 09:12 AM

If India had finished the LTTE problem with her Army.Sri lanka should have think of 13A, But 27000 SL army soldiers gave their lives to finish the LTTE.So why should we think of 13A or any thing given by India.

Karu_Suriyabandara Tuesday, 11 November 2014 12:31 PM

So Wiggy, as a srilankan sinhales, I do not have any objection to you request even though your intentions are evil. However, show your decency by providing support to all the sinhalese and muslims settle down in the North whom were chased away by tigers. My advise to you is be a peoples leaders not aTamil leader. This country belong to all of us. Govt. did not chase out thiese Tamils living in TN. It was LTTE.

Karigalan Tuesday, 11 November 2014 12:39 PM

the same way LTTE suppoerters arguethat we lost more than 100,000 lives in this war we should get Tamil EzhamThese type of narrow thinking will not reach SL anywhere

Karigalan Tuesday, 11 November 2014 12:43 PM

Agree,Its govnt duty to keep environment without force where all race will be together not by forceful migration to reduce the power of some minority

Mr. Bernard Wijeyasingha Wednesday, 12 November 2014 05:44 AM

There are Tamil refugees all over the world. Most prefer to stay where they are. Neither those governments or anyone in Sri Lanka wants the Tamils forced back from the UK, US or any other nation. if the Tamils want to return they should but if they choose to stay in India that is their choice.

UB Friday, 14 November 2014 11:42 AM

Dear KarigalanNarrow thinking ? then see, If LTTE has lost 100,000 and SL army 27,000 altogether 127,000 youths from both Tamils and Singhalese.(Both ethnic groups had been in peace for centuries - Divide rule policy of western rulers had changed the situation in the country )Do you know how many Muslims gave their live to end the war (As soldiers).Near future both Sinhalese and Tamils will be Minorities. wait and see.Tamils and Singhaleses should be able to live together as majority tamils live in southern part of the country (270000 in Colombo only). Even within Sinhalese they have problems.So NO separatism .

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Send back Tamil refugees to SL: Wigneswaran

Comments - 14

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