Dinasena Rathugamage –
The dire economic situation in the country has compelled starved people in the north to fleeing to India with the help of boats, Tamil National Alliance MP M.A Sumanthiran revealed addressing the All Party Conference today .
“The situation is very serious. There is nothing to eat here. 16 boats have gone to India yesterday alone. They were arrested in India.”
Sumanthiran said that the country should unite to find answers to this question.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.A Stalin has issued a statement yesterday (22) calling for the enforcement of the law against all Tamil refugees fleeing to India from the North who could not cope with the struggle for survival and sending them to Indian refugee camps.
On the 22nd day alone, 23 people from the North boarded fishing boats from the North and entered India from the beaches of Rameswaran Arichchal and Dhanuskodi in India and sought refuge there.
After informing the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu about this, he discussed with the Central Government and questioned the asylum seekers and if they were not people coming for smuggling, he had taken steps to allow them to stay in the active Tamil refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, India.
Along with those who fled to India on March 22, 23 people have so far migrated to India through various channels and have sought asylum in India.
They have cited the Northern Provinces as the reason for fleeing to India, disrupting agricultural activities, disrupting fishing activities due to fuel shortages and rising cost of living.
Indian police, Coast Guard and Indian Navy boat crews are being detained and interrogated by Indian police.
