UNHCR help sought to resettle refugees in TamilNadu

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 November 2002, 02:10 GMT]
When officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Commission on Human Security met Mr. S. P. Thamilselvan, head of the Liberation Tiger's (LTTE's) Political wing in Kilinochchi Friday, Thamilselvan requested the UNHCR to take action as soon as possible to resettle Tamil refugees from NorthEast currently living in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, India, sources said.

The meeting which commenced at 12:00 and continued till 1:30 p.m, focused on the peace talks between the Sri Lanka government and the LTTE and on resettling displaced Tamils living in India back in their hometowns, sources in Vanni said.

Former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, UNHCR Colombo representative Neil Wright, Executive Director of Commission on Human Security Francois Fouinat, and Akron Ragal participated in the meeting.

Complying with the agreement reached between the UNHCR and the Sri Lanka government earlier this year to resettle more than 100,000 Tamil refugees displaced in Tamil Nadu, UNHCR helped resettle 3 Tamil refugees who wished to return.

UNHCR officials met Thamilselvan in Vanni, 22 November 2002.

Thamilselvan informed the UNHCR that Tamil refugees are undergoing severe hardship at various refugee camps in Tamil Nadu and requested the assistance of the UNHCR in resettling refugees who wish to return home. With the peace talks progressing positively many refugees would like to restart their lives in the promising atmosphere of peace, Thamilselvan further told the delegation.

UNHCR representatives responded that they would review the situation and would take appropriate action promptly, sources said.