As Sri Lanka continues to reel under its worst economic crisis, the number of Tamils, especially those below the poverty line (BPL), fleeing the island to reach Tamil Nadu is on the rise. On Sunday, 19 Sri Lankan nationals from north and north-eastern regions reached Rameswaram after sailing in two illegal boats.
With this batch, the number of Tamils who fled the island due to the economic crisis has gone up to 39. The first two batches consisting of 16 persons reached the Rameswaram coast on March 22, while the third group with four persons sought refuge here on April 9.
Sources told DH that the 19 people came in two boats – 9 persons in one and 10 in another – and were stranded in Arichal Munai near Dhanuskodi and in the first island of Rameswaram. They were rescued by the Coastal Security Wing of Tamil Nadu Police and brought to Mandapam near Rameswaram.
The 19 Sri Lankans, who reached Rameswaram on Sunday, hail from different parts of the Tamil-dominated north and north-eastern regions like Mullaitheevu, Vavuniya, and Trincomalee. During the investigation by the CCW, they said the prevailing economic crisis in their country forced them to cross the international maritime border and reach India.
K S Masthan, Minister for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare, and Refugees told DH that all the Sri Lankan Tamils who came to Rameswaram on Sunday will be lodged at the Mandapam Camp.
“We continue to be in touch with the Union Government on the arrival of Tamils from the neighbouring country as it is the Centre which is empowered with taking a call on their arrivals,” Masthan said.
M A Sumanthiran, Sri Lankan MP and spokesperson of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told DH from Colombo over the phone that skyrocketing prices of essential items, their shortage and unprecedented long power cuts are the factors that are pushing many ethnic Tamils to escape to Tamil Nadu.
“While everyone suffers, it is those living below the poverty line (BPL) who are fleeing the country. They just want to escape hunger. They cannot afford to buy food by paying a high price. The crisis has pushed them to flee the country and seek refuge in Tamil Nadu,” Sumanthiran said.
The MP also appealed to India to use the opportunity to push the Sri Lankan government toward settling the Tamil question. “What Sri Lanka faces today is not just an economic crisis, but a political crisis too. At a time when India is providing humanitarian assistance to the country, it should also insist Colombo long evaded them,” he added.
Masthan also said the government is providing food and health care facilities to the fleeing Sri Lankan citizens as a “humanitarian gesture”. “All the 40 persons who have fled Sri Lanka due to the economic crisis are being taken care of by the state government. We will continue to provide them food and other basic facilities,” the minister added.
The Sri Lankans who have reached Rameswaram have undertaken a perilous journey to reach Tamil Nadu. Sources said each person is understood to have paid Rs 10,000 for the journey from Sri Lanka to Rameswaram.
The development has brought back the memories of thousands of Sri Lankan nationals from the Tamil-dominated northern region fleeing the island in the 1980s to Rameswaram fearing bullets and death due to the civil war between the Sri Lankan Army and the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
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.
As per data available 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 Tamil Nadu. In addition, 34,148 Sri Lankan Tamils are staying outside the camps and registered with local police stations.
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