<p>As Sri Lanka suffers the worst-ever economic crisis, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday sought the Union Government’s permission to help ethnic and plantation Tamils in the island nation with life-saving medicines and essential commodities as a “life-saving” measure. </p>.<p>Chief Minister M K Stalin made the demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a 30-minute meeting at the Parliament House. The demand by Stalin comes a week after 16 ethnic Tamils, including children, fled their homes in northern Lanka and reached Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu through illegal boats. </p>.<p>The Lankan nationals are now lodged at the permanent transit camp in Mandapam near Rameswaram. The development rekindled memories of an earlier exodus in the 1980s when thousands of Sri Lankans from the Tamil-dominated north fled the island as a bloody civil war raged between the Sri Lankan Army and the erstwhile LTTE. </p>.<p>In a memorandum to Modi, Stalin said the Sri Lankan nationals have embarked on the “perilous journey” due to unaffordable essential commodities in Sri Lanka. “It is also informed that more such persons may be arriving due to worsening economic condition,” Stalin said. </p>.<p>In this juncture, Stalin said, the Government of Tamil Nadu is willing to provide essential commodities and life-saving medicines to the Sri Lankan Tamils living in Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka and Colombo as well as those working in the plantation sector. </p>.<p>“(They) are reeling under severe food crisis as a life-saving measure and help the Sri Lankan Tamils, especially the vulnerable group of women and children. It is requested to accord necessary permission to undertake this benevolent activity,” Stalin said in the memorandum. </p>.<p>Sri Lanka is facing its worst-ever economic crisis with people standing in long queues waiting to buy fuel and essential items. The sky-rocketing prices of essential items have pushed lakhs of people into poverty in the island nation. </p>.<p>In the memorandum, Stalin also brought to the notice Modi the prolonged incarceration of “innocent fishermen” from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lankan jails and demanded that India arrange for fishermen level talks between the fishermen of the two countries, which have not been held since 2016. He also demanded that Katchatheevu, an island ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, be retrieved and ensure restoration of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay area.</p>.<p>Stalin also said a total of 3,04,269 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have come to Tamil Nadu after the eruption of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka in the year 1983 which resulted in a large influx of Sri Lankan Tamils. </p>.<p>“As per data as of 01.09.2021, 18,966 families consisting of 58,696 persons are staying in 108 rehabilitation camps (including 2 special camps at Tiruchirappalli and Ramanathapuram) located in 29 districts in the State of Tamil Nadu. In addition, 34,148 Sri Lankan Tamils are staying outside the camps and registered with the local police station,” he said. The Chief Minister demanded that India advise Sri Lanka to ensure equal political and civil rights for the Eelam Tamils.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>As Sri Lanka suffers the worst-ever economic crisis, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday sought the Union Government’s permission to help ethnic and plantation Tamils in the island nation with life-saving medicines and essential commodities as a “life-saving” measure. </p>.<p>Chief Minister M K Stalin made the demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a 30-minute meeting at the Parliament House. The demand by Stalin comes a week after 16 ethnic Tamils, including children, fled their homes in northern Lanka and reached Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu through illegal boats. </p>.<p>The Lankan nationals are now lodged at the permanent transit camp in Mandapam near Rameswaram. The development rekindled memories of an earlier exodus in the 1980s when thousands of Sri Lankans from the Tamil-dominated north fled the island as a bloody civil war raged between the Sri Lankan Army and the erstwhile LTTE. </p>.<p>In a memorandum to Modi, Stalin said the Sri Lankan nationals have embarked on the “perilous journey” due to unaffordable essential commodities in Sri Lanka. “It is also informed that more such persons may be arriving due to worsening economic condition,” Stalin said. </p>.<p>In this juncture, Stalin said, the Government of Tamil Nadu is willing to provide essential commodities and life-saving medicines to the Sri Lankan Tamils living in Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka and Colombo as well as those working in the plantation sector. </p>.<p>“(They) are reeling under severe food crisis as a life-saving measure and help the Sri Lankan Tamils, especially the vulnerable group of women and children. It is requested to accord necessary permission to undertake this benevolent activity,” Stalin said in the memorandum. </p>.<p>Sri Lanka is facing its worst-ever economic crisis with people standing in long queues waiting to buy fuel and essential items. The sky-rocketing prices of essential items have pushed lakhs of people into poverty in the island nation. </p>.<p>In the memorandum, Stalin also brought to the notice Modi the prolonged incarceration of “innocent fishermen” from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lankan jails and demanded that India arrange for fishermen level talks between the fishermen of the two countries, which have not been held since 2016. He also demanded that Katchatheevu, an island ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, be retrieved and ensure restoration of the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay area.</p>.<p>Stalin also said a total of 3,04,269 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have come to Tamil Nadu after the eruption of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka in the year 1983 which resulted in a large influx of Sri Lankan Tamils. </p>.<p>“As per data as of 01.09.2021, 18,966 families consisting of 58,696 persons are staying in 108 rehabilitation camps (including 2 special camps at Tiruchirappalli and Ramanathapuram) located in 29 districts in the State of Tamil Nadu. In addition, 34,148 Sri Lankan Tamils are staying outside the camps and registered with the local police station,” he said. The Chief Minister demanded that India advise Sri Lanka to ensure equal political and civil rights for the Eelam Tamils.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
