Young refugees in TN keen on trying luck in SL

Several young Sri Lankan Tamils born and raised in camps in Tamil Nadu are eager to go back to the land of their ancestors to try and connect with their roots and get a sense of belonging.

Though refugees returning to Sri Lanka on their own volition happens on and off, especially after the end of the civil war there in 2009, a new trend that is catching up is of young men who have never seen their homeland keen on trying their luck there.

A total of 304,269 refugees have come to Tamil Nadu in four phases since 1983 when the ethnic strife intensified. The refugee flow has, however, stopped since 2013, four years after LTTE was decimated.

So far, about 212,000 refugees have gone back on their own with government and UNHCR assistance. Twenty-threeyear-old S. Saravanan, who was born and brought up in Gopalasamudram camp near Tirunelveli, told PTI, “I want to go back, try and rebuild my future in Sri Lanka and I am making preparations to leave in a couple of months.”

Asked what attracted him there, he said, “It is my home country, it would help connect with our roots as our family have some land holdings in our native Jaffna and I had always been eager to see and live in the land of my ancestors.”

Though refugees returning to Sri Lanka on their own volition happens on and off, especially after the end of the civil war there in 2009, a new trend that is catching up is of young men who have never seen their homeland keen on trying their luck there

ADiploma holder in computer hardware and networking, Saravanan feels the island nation will offer him good opportunities.

AAkilan, born in Kulathulvaipatti camp in Tuticorin district, said, “I am considering the option of going to Sri Lanka quite seriously.”

The 24-year-old has recently completed his Communications Engineering degree and feels that Lanka may offer him the “right opportunity to grow.”

Akilan had a tough time finishing his degree as his father passed away in Sri Lanka unable to cope with the ravages of war in 2009 there.

Speaking over the phone from Vavuniya in Sri Lanka, Mayuran who went there two months back said, “I am excited to be here in the land of my forefathers, I even visited my village near Mullaitivu and saw the place where my house once stood.”

As of now, according to Tamil Nadu government, there are 102,055 refugees belonging to 34,524 families in the state, of whom 64,924 belong to 19,625 families in 107 camps.

In 2011, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had announced extending benefits of all welfare schemes implemented in the state, to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

Besides cash assistance, 20 kgs of rice is provided every month free of cost to each refugee family.

Each family is also entitled to purchase sugar, wheat, pulse and oil under the Public Distribution System at subsidised rates.

(PTI)