Provide refugee status to Lankan Tamils in TN, Anbumani urges Centre

CHENNAI: PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday urged the Union government to provide refugee status for Tamils coming from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu due to the ongoing economic crisis.

"In the last three months, 90 Tamils from Sri Lanka have reached Tamil Nadu due to the economic crisis. Though the State government wrote a letter to the Union government urging them to provide refugee status before two months there was no response and so they could not receive any benefits from the government,” said Anbumani, in a series of tweets.

As June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day, he said that the day is observed to protect the rights of the refugees and to appreciate their daring nature for moving out of their countries. Anbumani said that, however, the livelihood of Tamils from Sri Lanka who have moved out of the island nation due to the economic crisis is still under question.

Anbumani further said that apart from giving refugee status, the conditions of the rehabilitation camps should be improved by both the State and the central governments.

State will take definite action: Stalin

Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin, in a tweet, said that at a time when the rights of the refugees across the world should be protected the State government is taking definite steps to protect Sri Lankan Tamils who have reached Tamil Nadu due to the economic crisis. He also recalled that the name refugee camps have been replaced by rehabilitation camps and welfare measures are taken by the State government.