Tamil Nadu lawmakers request PM to intervene in Sri Lankan Tamil issue

New Delhi, Sept 22 (ANI): A group of lawmakers from Tamil Nadu submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday requesting him to intervene in the issue of Tamil refugees in Sri Lanka.

The lawmakers visited Singh's official residence and urged him to intervene with the Sri Lankan Government to safeguard the Tamilians, who are languishing in pitiable condition in relief camps.

"We have requested the Prime Minister to immediately intervene with the Sri Lankan Government to safeguard the Tamils, who are languishing in the camps. Their security, safety and health conditions are very bad. We wanted that they should be shifted immediately to their original place of livelihood," said K.V. Thangkabalu, president, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.

Sri Lankan Tamils have historical and cultural links with about 60 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu and their fate has political repercussions in India.

Around 300,000 Sri Lankan Tamils were displaced in the final months of the offensive to wipe out the Tamil Tigers rebels, which ended on May 18.

The Sri Lankan Government had announced that it would resettle at least 80 per cent of the displaced people by the end of the year.

The United Nations, Indian and the Western Governments have urged Sri Lanka to let Tamil refugees return to their homes quickly. (ANI)