2009   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004   2003

UN has an obligation to exercise its mandate to repatriate Tamil refugees in India

“UN’s Refugee Agency has an obligation by virtue of its mandate relating to the resettlement of refugees, to interact with the government of India and arrange safe repatriation of the Tamil refugees, many of whom have met with death recently while venturing to cross the sea” said Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE Political Wing in a meeting with UN Refugee Agency’s Country Head Mr.Rajiv Kapur today 25 May 2005 in the Peace Secretariat at Kilinochchi.

Quoting reference to the letter written by Mr.Tamilselvan on the subject of Tamil refugees in India, Mr.Kapur said that he has already initiated action at Colombo level and is in touch with his counterpart in New Delhi for interaction with the government of India. Expressing concern over the disturbing situation in Trincomalee, Mr.Kapur said that disturbances of this nature tend to disrupt the atmosphere of peace and it has become difficult for UNHCR to move freely to carry out its work in Trincomalee. “Political stability and a state of calm are absolutely essential to achieve progress in the peace process and the parties concerned should endeavour to exercise maximum restraint and build on the momentum of peace” noted Mr.Kapur.

Expressing full satisfaction over the performance of UNHCR during difficult times, Mr.Tamilselvan said that the Tamil people have been banking all their hopes on UNHCR to bring about normalcy in the life of IDP’s by arranging unfettered access to their habitats, a right that is being denied to them by an occupying military. “Had these IDP’s been allowed to resettle in their homes in the High Security Zones, number of tsunami deaths in Mullaittivu could have been avoided, for a sizeable population of fisher folk who were denied access to their homes in the Jaffna peninsula continued to eke out an existence in the sea shores of Mullaittivu and succumbed to nature’s disaster when tsunami struck them” lamented Mr.Tamilselvan. Focussing special attention on the representations made by Civilian Based Organisations on the plight of Tamil refugees in India, Mr.Tamilselvan requested UNHCR’s Country Head to consider this as a totally humanitarian assistance to a people who have fled their land of birth due to a cruel war and are now anxious to get back home making use of the Cease Fire Agreement and the Peace Process.

Associated with UNHCR’s Country Head was representatives from Jaffna,Vavuniya and Kilinochchi.

25 May 2005

Print this

Email this