Central team inspects refugee camp

The team comprised Prasenjit Dev, Director, Freedom Fighters and Rehabilitation (FFR), Division of Ministry of Home Affairs, Satiskumar Sing, Under Secretary, Union Territory Division of Ministry of Home Affairs, and T Srinivasan, Section Officer, (FFR) Division of Ministry of Home Affairs.

The team visited Mandapam camp on Sunday morning and carried out the investigation for close to 75 minutes.

According to the sources, the team had interacted with a section of elders and youngsters. The elders had expressed their desire to return back to Sri Lanka and to spend their last days along with their kith and kin.

More than 50 per cent of the inmates had expressed their desire to return to Sri Lanka.

They also told the officials to send them in ships and not in flights as they could not carry more luggage if sent through flights.

However, youngsters had demanded the Central team to provide employment opportunities to them. They

told the team members that people outside are not providing jobs to refugees and so requested the state and Central governments to arrange jobs for them.

After completing the inspection, the team refused to address the media. Earlier, the media members were not allowed inside the refugee camp during the inspection.